Dara Calleary
Question:621. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs when a grant application by an organisation (details supplied) will be decided upon. [42947/17]
View answerYouth Services Funding
Questions (621, 625)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:625. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on funding an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42978/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 621 and 625 together.
In 2017, funding of €57.4 million has been provided to my Department for various youth schemes, an increase of €5.5 million over 2016. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services. My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. These schemes include the Youth Service Grant Scheme, amounting to €10.65 million in 2017, under which funding is made available on an annual basis to 30 national and major regional youth organisations. This funding is intended to ensure the emergence, promotion, growth and development of youth organisations with distinctive philosophies and programmes aimed at the social education of young people.
Scouting Ireland receives grant aid on an annual basis under the Youth Service Grant Scheme. Details of the funding allocated to Scouting Ireland by my Department since it establishment in 2011 are outlined in the following table.
|
Youth Service Grant Scheme |
Year |
Grant € |
|
2017 |
876,337 |
|
|
2016 |
834,607 |
|
|
2015 |
814,250 |
|
|
2014 |
814,250 |
|
|
2013 |
845,974 |
|
|
2012 |
939,971 |
|
|
2011 |
1,005,317 |
In addition to the above, Scouting Ireland was allocated €150,000 in current funding in 2015 and a further €200,000 in Dormant Accounts funding in 2016 to support the Operation Lelievlet youth employment initiative.
Scouting Ireland also received €49,630 under the capital funding scheme for youth projects and services in 2016 to fund the improvement of disability access and security at Scouting Ireland.
In 2015, €30,000 was also allocated to Scouting Ireland to assist it with its budget sustainability to the end of the year.
In addition to the grant funding provided to Scouting Ireland in 2017, an additional application has been received for funding for its AcadaMoot Programme and this application is currently under consideration within my Department.
Affordable Childcare Scheme Implementation
Questions (622)
John Curran
Question:622. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if the difficulties being experienced by a crèche (details supplied) in County Dublin regarding the administration of the new affordable childcare scheme will be investigated; if payments will be backdated on resolution of the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42968/17]
View answerWritten answers
With regard to the details supplied by the Deputy, I understand that officials from my Department have been in contact with this service provider and this issue has been resolved to the provider’s satisfaction. The payments will be backdated to the date the child is registered as having commenced accessing the subvented childcare scheme and is attending. If this service provider has any further queries I would advise them to email: eyqueries@dcya.gov.ie.
Youth Services
Questions (623, 624, 626)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:623. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on maintaining the voluntary sector's role in delivering local youth services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42975/17]
View answerMichael Healy-Rae
Question:624. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on ensuring that the voluntary sector is part of the organisation and funding of youth work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42976/17]
View answerMichael Healy-Rae
Question:626. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs her views on increasing the funding for the local youth club grant in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42979/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 623, 624 and 626 together.
My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. The funding schemes support national and local youth work involving approximately 1,400 youth work staff working in youth services and communities throughout the country.
I am pleased to confirm that I have allocated an extra €5.5 million in current funding to support the provision of youth services in 2017. This will bring the total youth funding by my Department to €57.4 million, an increase of 10% over last year's allocation. The additional funding is being used for programmes that target disadvantaged young people and to assist national youth organisations in their work to support local voluntary youth services.
Earlier this year I approved the launch of an updated and improved Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and from 2017, the scheme incorporated the National Quality Standards for volunteer-led youth groups. The scheme was designed to provide volunteer-led youth activities at a local level for young people aged between ten to 21 years old. Grants are made available to all youth clubs and groups through the local Education and Training Boards. The scheme is open to new entrants and is advertised locally. Applications for funding are invited by the Education and Training Boards from local groups in their respective areas. Each year, more than 600 local youth clubs benefit from the scheme. In 2016, €1.065 million was allocated to this scheme. In 2017, I have provided an additional 10% in funding to the scheme, bringing the total allocation to €1.1715 million.
In recognition of the contribution which volunteer led clubs/groups make to our young people, I was pleased to have been able to make €6.35 million in additional funding available this year in the form of the Local Youth Club Equipment Scheme. The primary focus of this scheme will be to assist volunteer led clubs/groups that work with young people in communities throughout the country. The scheme will allow for the purchase of equipment for sport, arts, adventure and other much needed items.
The question of additional investment in the youth services will be considered in the context of the resources that are made available to my Department in the Estimates and Budgetary process and my Department's priorities for the future development of the services for young people, in line with the National Youth Strategy.
Question No. 625 answered with Question No. 621.
Question No. 626 answered with Question No. 623.
Child Care Services Provision
Questions (627)
Robert Troy
Question:627. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the status of a facility (details supplied). [43021/17]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, my Department does not directly provide childcare - rather we fund the provision of childcare through individuals, companies and community/not-for-profit groups. Therefore, following the closure of the existing childcare provider in this location, I requested that Pobal and Longford CCC work with local bodies and potential partners in relation to the re-establishment of a service for the local community. I also made once-off funding available in this respect.
Unfortunately, my Department has yet to receive a viable proposal for the creation of a childcare service in this area. Pobal and Longford CCC are therefore still pursuing options locally in this regard. Once-off funding remains in place, and I am open to receiving proposals from local/community groups who may be in a position to assist.
After-School Support Services
Questions (628)
Robert Troy
Question:628. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if there are supports for community childcare facilities to pick up children for provision of after-school care; and if not, if she will review same. [43022/17]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides subvention through a number of childcare schemes. Two of these schemes:
- Childcare Education and Training, CETS, which provides childcare to eligible participants on certain training courses provided by Education and Training Boards, and secondary school students;
- After-school Child Care Programme, ASCC, for parents of primary aged children on certain DSEAP employment programmes;
include provision for enhanced subvention rates to cover transport requirements.
In financial terms, this means that for five days provision per week, the parents' fees (not counting the initial 14 week top-up that applies) can be subvented by €35 extra per week to cover transport.
In addition, on 17 August this year, I announced €1.2 million of funding to improve existing school-age childcare services. As a result, 263 after-school services benefitted from grants from my Department. Some of these grants were put toward after-school services purchasing vehicles to facilitate the pick-up and drop-off of school-aged children from their services.
Lobbying Data
Questions (629)
Róisín Shortall
Question:629. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the number of occasions on which she has been lobbied in respect of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill since March 2016; the persons she has met; the dates of these meetings; the details of the basis of the lobbying; her views on the issues raised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42285/17]
View answerWritten answers
I can inform the Deputy, that in the time period referred to, I have received two written representations with regard to the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill, from the Chief Executive of the Licensed Vintners Association and from the Co-ordinator of the Citywide Drugs Crisis Campaign both strongly supporting the main provisions of the Bill. I responded to both letters with thanks for receipt of same. I have held no meetings with persons or bodies in relation to this matter.
Youth Services Funding
Questions (630)
Carol Nolan
Question:630. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the allocation made to youth work services over each of the past ten years, by county, in tabular from; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42352/17]
View answerWritten answers
My Department administers a range of funding schemes and programmes to support the provision of youth services to young people throughout the country including those from disadvantaged communities. Targeted supports for disadvantaged, marginalised and at-risk young people are provided through the Special Projects for Youth Scheme, the Young Peoples Facilities and Services Fund, Rounds 1 and 2, Local Drugs Task Force Projects and certain other programmes including the Local Youth Club Grant Scheme and Youth Information Centres.
Details of the funding provided to youth services and projects by my Department since its establishment in 2011 are not readily available in the format requested by the Deputy. The funding for the provision of youth services is administered on behalf of my Department by a number of funding administrative bodies. In the main, these are the Education and Training Boards.
Information on the allocations provided to youth services by receiving organisations in each of the years 2011 to 2017 has been forwarded to the Deputy.
Foster Care Provision
Questions (631)
Clare Daly
Question:631. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs further to Parliamentary Question No. 251 of 28 September 2017, when the examination is likely to be published in view of the possibility that the use of private foster providers of emergency care placements may be unlawful. [42373/17]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, in May I welcomed the publication of Dr. Geoffrey Shannon’s audit into the use of section 12 of the Child Care Act 1991 by An Garda Síochána. The report was undertaken by Dr. Shannon on behalf of An Garda Síochána, and correspondingly, most of the recommendations made by Dr. Shannon relate to Garda practice and procedures.
In my previous reply to the Deputy on this matter, I mentioned that a number of recommendations were made by Dr. Shannon which merit further consideration by my Department, and my officials have examined such matters. Clarification has been sought from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, regarding the Agency’s procedures in relation to the use of private providers of emergency foster-care placements, and is awaited. When this clarification has been received, my Department, in conjunction with the Child and Family Agency, will consider what further action, if any, on this matter is required.
While my officials are currently awaiting the Agency’s response, based on the information currently available it would appear that there is no legal difficulty in placing children with a private not-for-profit provider where that child has been received into the care of the Child and Family Agency by way of an emergency placement under section 12 (4) of the Child Care Act 1991.
Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme Administration
Questions (632, 633)
James Browne
Question:632. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to put new tenders in place for the SICAP; his further plans to tender for the provision of this programme in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42802/17]
View answerJames Browne
Question:633. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if tendering for the next SICAP will be focused on the needs of rural communities; if facilities will determine the location of services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42803/17]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 632 and 633 together.
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, SICAP, is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The Programme was rolled out in April 2015 and will run until 31 December 2017. Its aim is to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement and partnership between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations, public sector agencies and other stakeholders. The SICAP funding allocation, for front-line delivery for 2017, is €37.5 million, which includes an allocation of €3 million under the European Social Fund, ESF, Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning, PEIL, 2014-2020.
SICAP is a key intervention for the harder to reach, with delivery in each area (or Lot) overseen and managed by the relevant Local Community Development Committee, LCDC, in each local authority area. The programme is currently delivered in a total of 51 Lots, and it targets both rural and urban areas. The number and configuration of the Lots was decided upon by the LCDCs, based on their considerable knowledge of their local areas.
LCDCs bring a more joined-up and coherent approach to the local management of publicly funded programmes in the areas of economic, social and community development, including SICAP, through the development and implementation of the community elements of the Local Economic and Community Plan, LECP. It is for the LCDCs to target and plan their strategy in accordance with local need and the contents of their LECP. While complying with the programme’s aims, objectives and requirements, Programme Implementers are expected to ensure that actions set out under SICAP reflect the priorities and needs identified in the community aspect of the LECP, which emerged from extensive local consultation processes.
The next iteration of the programme, SICAP 2018-2022, is due to supersede the current programme with effect from 1 January 2018. The programme has been refined to allow LCDCs to include their own "emerging needs" group to more efficiently target supports within their Lot area. As with the current programme and in accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP 2018-2022 is subject to a public procurement process which is currently under way. The national procurement process is a competitive process that is open to Local Development Companies, other not-for-profit community groups, commercial firms and national organisations that can provide the services to be tendered for to deliver the new Programme. The process is managed within each Lot area by the relevant LCDC. The process is the same for every county. Given the deliberative process currently under way, I am not in a position to comment further.
Local Improvement Scheme Funding
Questions (634)
Jackie Cahill
Question:634. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason the local improvement scheme allocation to Tipperary County Council was smaller and in some cases half of what was allocated to other smaller counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42922/17]
View answerWritten answers
On 21 September, I announced the provision of €10 million for a Local Improvement Scheme. This is a nation-wide scheme which supports improvement works on private and non-public roads.
My Department wrote to Local Authorities in August to establish the level of demand for an LIS scheme this year. The Local Authorities were advised that any requests for funds would be subject to their capacity to complete any proposed works in 2017, and funding availability.
Within the budget available for 2017, it was not possible to fully support the level of projects that the Local Authorities indicated they could deliver in 2017. However, all eligible Local Authorities received a minimum of €250,000, with the exception of three Authorities who requested less than that amount. Tipperary County Council was one of those which requested less than €250,000.
The total value of submissions received from Tipperary County Council was €237,579, and a sum of €237,000 was allocated to them. The Council was therefore one of the few Local Authorities which received almost all of the funding requested.
Local Improvement Scheme Administration
Questions (635)
Jackie Cahill
Question:635. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a local authority is required by departmental guidelines to advertise publicly the local improvement scheme before particular works are agreed or completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42923/17]
View answerWritten answers
On 21 September, I announced the provision of €10 million for a Local Improvement Scheme which supports improvement works on private and non-public roads.
My Department wrote to Local Authorities in August to establish the level of demand for an LIS scheme this year. The Local Authorities were advised that any requests for funds would be subject to their capacity to complete any proposed works in 2017, and funding availability.
Within the budget available for 2017, it was not possible to fully support the level of demand which the Local Authorities stated they could deliver in 2017. However, all eligible Local Authorities received a minimum of €250,000, with the exception of three Authorities who requested less than that amount. The allocations generally had regard to the geographical area of the counties and the level of demand indicated by the Local Authorities.
It is now a matter for each Local Authority to decide which works should be completed from the list of potential projects submitted to my Department, having regard to the funding allocated to them. Local Authorities are not specifically required by Departmental guidelines to advertise the LIS scheme publicly before particular works are agreed or completed.
Banking Sector
Questions (636)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:636. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the interdepartmental report into the provision of public banking will be published. [42953/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Programme for a Partnership Government envisaged that An Post, the Irish League of Credit Unions and other interested stakeholders would be asked to investigate and propose a new model of community banking, based on particular overseas models.
My officials have been working actively with the Department of Finance over the last number of months to progress these commitments. In addition, a public consultation process seeking views on the community banking model was launched in early March and ran for four weeks. A total of 16 replies were received from a range of stakeholders, and all submissions have been reviewed and considered.
The Departmental officials are currently finalising a report on the merits of establishing a local public banking model in Ireland. Their work is now nearing completion, and a report will be submitted to me and to the Minister for Finance shortly for consideration. I envisage that the report will be submitted to Government for consideration prior to any decision regarding publication.
Charities Regulation
Questions (637)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:637. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to ensure the Charities Regulator is fully resourced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42977/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Charities Regulatory Authority, “Charities Regulator”, was established on 16 October 2014, pursuant to the Charities Act, 2009. Since its establishment, significant progress has been made in resourcing the regulator, from a staff number of ten on establishment day to 30 at the end of 2016. The current staff count is some 40.
The 2017 budget for the regulator is €4,379,000, an increase of 64% on the available spend in 2016. This increased level of funding includes provision to increase the staff levels to 50, and my Department is committed to working with the regulator to achieve its full approved staffing complement of 50 as soon as possible.
Ministerial Functions
Questions (638)
Billy Kelleher
Question:638. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the powers he has delegated to the Ministers of State in his Department; the date on which such delegation was made; if there were changes in powers delegated relative to the situation in place prior to 14 June 2017; if so, the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42786/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Rural and Community Development (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order (S.I. No 432 of 2017) of 3 October 2017 delegates the following functions to my colleague, Mr. Sean Kyne, T.D., Minister of State:
- in the area of Rural Development, responsibility for the oversight of the work of the Western Development Commission and the Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce;
- functions related to the Department’s inputs on Rural Broadband and the National Planning Framework;
- overview of the following funding schemes – (i) Dormant Accounts Fund/statutory responsibility for Disbursement Scheme as well as for the administration of certain Dormant Account funded measures, (ii) the programme of Support National Organisations (SSNO), and (iii) Community & Voluntary Funding Schemes (CFS);
- the development of the Public Participation Networks, PPNs, and Citizen Engagement policy, the Forum on Philanthropy and the Social Innovation Fund Ireland;
- responsibility for the Charities Regulatory Authority (excluding the appointment of members to the Board of the Authority); and
- the responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts.
The Minister of State will also be responsible for identifying and advising on issues affecting rural communities including the business community, arising from Britain’s exit from the European Union.
Departmental Schemes
Questions (639)
Dara Calleary
Question:639. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will reintroduce the funding scheme that was previously available to support the installation of three-phase electricity for rural businesses; and the supports available for a business seeking for this service. [42941/17]
View answerWritten answers
The CLÁR scheme previously provided funding to support micro enterprises to convert from single-phase to three-phase electricity. However, the scheme was closed for new applications in 2009.
In addition, the former Farm Electrification Grant Scheme, FEGS, provided support for the installation of three-phase electricity supply on farms. I understand that this scheme ceased operation toward the end of 2011.
I currently have no plans to reintroduce either scheme.
Departmental Funding
Questions (640)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:640. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of moneys prepaid by his Department for all schemes to local authorities toward the close of 2016 for work to be carried out in 2017; the amount of expenditure allocated to each county, by programme; the expenditure that had been incurred up to the end of September in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43005/17]
View answerWritten answers
As part of the Government’s programme to support rural development, a number of initiatives including CLÁR, the Rural Recreation Scheme, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, and REDZ, Rural Economic Development Zones, were launched by my Department during 2016. In general, these initiatives were implemented through the Local Authorities.
All funding was made available in line with the sanction received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and on the basis of funding agreements signed with the Local Authorities.
The following table details the amount of funding allocated to each Local Authority by scheme in 2016 and the amount of expenditure incurred by each Local Authority up to the end of August 2017. It will be noted that not all Local Authorities applied for, or were eligible for, each scheme.
This is the latest expenditure information available at this time. However, my Department is engaging with the Local Authorities on an ongoing basis to update the expenditure information.
|
County |
Total amount disbursed REDZ 2016 |
REDZ 2016 Total Total Department REDZ Grant spent by LA at the 31st Aug 2017 |
Total amount paid Town and Village Renewal Scheme |
Town & Village Total Department Grant spent by LA at the 31st Aug 2017 |
Total amount disbursed CLAR 2016 Scheme |
Total Department Grant spent by LA at the 31st Aug 2017 CLÁR |
Total amount disbursed Rural Recreation Scheme Local Authorities 2016 |
Rural Rec Total Department Grant spent by LA at the 31st Aug 2017 |
|
Carlow |
€200,000 |
€115,996 |
€380,000 |
€378,206 |
€80,000 |
€80,000 |
€67,500 |
€4,000 |
|
Cavan |
€200,000 |
€40,000 |
€380,000 |
€57,000 |
€498,184 |
€109,082 |
€45,567 |
€21,361 |
|
Clare |
€200,000 |
€28,736 |
€380,000 |
€244,566 |
€284,000 |
€93,719 |
€255,625 |
€65,000 |
|
Cork |
€248,000 |
€172,700 |
€380,000 |
€55,878 |
€562,222 |
€133,835 |
€417,815 |
€83,179 |
|
Donegal |
€298,000 |
€39,931 |
€380,000 |
€0 |
€878,632 |
€159,837 |
€67,991 |
€49,811 |
|
Dublin FINGAL DLR |
€0 |
€0 |
€380,000 |
€270,254 |
€0 |
€0 |
€33,667 |
€0 |
|
Galway |
€100,000 |
€3,330 |
€380,000 |
€254,656 |
€392,000 |
€327,656 |
€248,950 |
€107,171 |
|
Kerry |
€150,195 |
€150,195 |
€380,000 |
€368,221 |
€744,964 |
€529,572 |
€288,000 |
€106,440 |
|
Kildare |
€100,000 |
€5,000 |
€380,000 |
€122,945 |
€0 |
€0 |
€0 |
€0 |
|
Kilkenny |
€200,000 |
€0 |
€380,000 |
€232,795 |
€223,000 |
€99,973 |
€0 |
€0 |
|
Laois |
€200,000 |
€28,856 |
€380,000 |
€143,940 |
€148,900 |
€134,500 |
€256,000 |
€200,000 |
|
Leitrim |
€300,000 |
€56,799 |
€380,000 |
€374,910 |
€274,800 |
€208,800 |
€480,000 |
€24,964 |
|
Limerick |
€300,000 |
€0 |
€380,000 |
€297,840 |
€235,000 |
€214,000 |
€291,250 |
€220,000 |
|
Longford |
€350,000 |
€171,000 |
€380,000 |
€380,000 |
€237,560 |
€124,551 |
€190,000 |
€60,000 |
|
Louth |
€100,000 |
€0 |
€380,000 |
€366,845 |
€173,520 |
€111,131 |
€0 |
€0 |
|
Mayo |
€150,000 |
€108,906 |
€380,000 |
€375,250 |
€976,869 |
€464,332 |
€455,000 |
€367,018 |
|
Meath |
€200,000 |
€48,440 |
€380,000 |
€298,260 |
€127,600 |
€122,546 |
€50,000 |
€50,000 |
|
Monaghan |
€290,000 |
€55,968 |
€380,000 |
€375,250 |
€356,440 |
€317,958 |
€273,014 |
€155,347 |
|
Offaly |
€414,870 |
€10,350 |
€380,000 |
€37,521 |
€123,398 |
€84,357 |
€172,959 |
€0 |
|
Roscommon |
€100,000 |
€100,000 |
€380,000 |
€263,446 |
€406,497 |
€394,349 |
€0 |
€0 |
|
Sligo |
€800,000 |
€312,000 |
€380,000 |
€380,000 |
€598,400 |
€384,512 |
€42,563 |
€42,563 |
|
Tipperary, |
€699,221 |
€251,499 |
€380,000 |
€265,820 |
€371,000 |
€268,099 |
€85,208 |
€14,388 |
|
Waterford |
€100,000 |
€0 |
€380,000 |
€380,000 |
€261,600 |
€233,809 |
€0 |
€0 |
|
Westmeath |
€192,000 |
€15,330 |
€380,000 |
€304,900 |
€214,280 |
€57,527 |
€219,590 |
€48,671 |
|
Wexford |
€100,000 |
€15,325 |
€380,000 |
€300,114 |
€0 |
€0 |
€189,455 |
€82,740 |
|
Wicklow |
€150,556 |
€21,304 |
€380,000 |
€202,083 |
€70,000 |
€5,675 |
€0 |
€0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
€6,142,842 |
€1,751,665 |
€9,880,000 |
€6,730,700 |
€8,238,866 |
€4,659,820 |
€4,130,154 |
€1,702,652 |
Departmental Offices
Questions (641)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Question:641. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the location of the headquarters of his Department; the number of civil servants based there; the number of civil servants based in each location where his Department has an office; the town in which each one of these offices is located; the reason that the headquarters of his Department is not located in a rural area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43006/17]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Rural and Community Development was established 19 July 2017. As of 10 October 2017, there were 109 staff employed in my Department, although discussions are ongoing to finalise the Department’s full staffing complement.
There are currently 41 staff in the Department's core offices in Dublin, and 60 in Ballina. There are eight staff in an Inspectorate service that is based regionally throughout the country.
A further 42 staff are employed in the Charities Regulatory Authority, which is also based in Dublin.
Charitable and Voluntary Organisations
Questions (642)
Anne Rabbitte
Question:642. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the charitable status of an organisation (details supplied); and the timeframe for the number to be issued. [42199/17]
View answerWritten answers
I am advised that the organisation referred to by the Deputy does not appear on the Register of Charities and therefore is not a registered charity. The Register of Charities is publicly available for inspection on the Charities Regulator’s website: www.charitiesregulator.ie.
Under the Charities Act 2009, the Charities Regulator is independent in the performance of its functions. It is the policy of the Charities Regulator not to comment to third parties in relation to specific applications for registration, because to divulge information to a third party could prejudice a future decision. My Department has no function in this matter.
Lobbying Data
Questions (643)
Róisín Shortall
Question:643. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of occasions on which he has been lobbied in respect of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill since March 2016; the persons he has met; the dates of these meetings; the details of the basis of the lobbying; his views on the issues raised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42297/17]
View answerWritten answers
Since the establishment of my Department, the Department of Rural and Community Development, in July this year, I have not been lobbied in relation to the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill. However, on 5 October last, correspondence was received to my office from the Convenience Stores and Newsagents Association, CSNA, in relation to the Public Health Alcohol Bill (2015) Section 20 amendments. My office will be responding shortly.