Community Services Programme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 November 2020

Tuesday, 17 November 2020

Questions (913)

Gerald Nash

Question:

913. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the nature of the funding relationship between an organisation (details supplied) and Pobal; if the funding relationship remains in place; if Pobal is satisfied that all the recommendations contained in the verification report carried out by the agency in 2017 into expenditure funded under the community services programme have been implemented; if Pobal is satisfied in general with the robustness of the financial reporting procedures in place at the organisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36223/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development (Deputy Joe O'Brien)

My Department currently supports more than 420 community organisations under the Community Services Programme (CSP) to provide local services through a social enterprise model.  Pobal administer the CSP on behalf of my Department.  The organisation in question received CSP funding towards the cost of supporting one manager and three full time equivalent positions and were supported under the CSP until 16 October this year, when they voluntarily ceased their contract and exited the Programme.

I am advised that there were no items identified during Pobal’s audit of this service in May 2017 which required amendments to the expenditure returns submitted to Pobal and that all issues identified in the audit were duly responded to by the organisation.