Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 March 2007
620 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 36 of 1 March 2007, the accounting and other administrative procedures in place for management of the moneys allocated through the family services project and special projects fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10585/07]
View answerThe Family Services Project and the Special Projects fund are administered by my Department's Social and Family Support Services. The objectives of the projects are to assist individuals and families to enhance their employability through education, training and personal development opportunities and to improve their quality of life.
The funding is provided to LVC groups to identify needs in relation to Social Welfare customers and their families in terms of personal development, education, training, parenting, literacy/numeracy, etc. The relevant group or agency then submits the application either solely or in partnership with other agencies, to my Department. Funding is awarded to groups under a number of conditions, one of these being that they submit a full evaluation of the programme including details of how the allocated funding was expended by the group.
My Department also submits half yearly progress reports to the Border Midland and Western and the Southern and Eastern Regional Assemblies in respect of the Family Services Project and to the Employment and Human Resources Development Operational Programme in respect of the Special Projects Fund. These reports not only give details of expenditure but also outline how the projects are performing against agreed indicators. From 2007 the Family Services Project and the Special Projects fund form part of my Department's Programmes under the Social Inclusion Priority of the NDP 2007-2013.
