Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2015
45. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the number of applications received in 2015 to date by her Department under the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived programme; when she will approve these individual schemes to proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36676/15]
View answerThe European Fund for Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) is designed to support Member States in addressing the basic needs of the most deprived people in our community. The Department of Social Protection has been designated as the managing authority for the delivery of the programme. The EU and the Exchequer have committed some €27 million to the programme over the period to 2020.
The Department advertised the programme in the national, regional and local newspapers during July 2015 and is currently receiving applications and wrote directly to some 550 organisations. The application process remains open until the end of November 2015. To date, 25 applications have been received and are being assessed. Decision on the applications received will be made and communicated in the coming weeks.
