Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
237. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the funding allocated by his Department from 1 January 2020 to date to each member body of an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18839/21]
View answerI am very aware of the important work done by the member organisations of the Irish Environmental Network (IEN). These national environmental NGOs are active on a broad range of environmental issues, including wildlife conservation, biodiversity and climate change. I recognise that, in addition to the climate and biodiversity challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges to communities and society. IEN members have had to adapt quickly in response to this changing operating environment, developing new skills and tools to shift activities online. The IEN are introducing contingency plans for 2021 to support its members' activities, which will include virtual events, the roll-out of a web-based communications platform, and grants to offset the costs of remote working. The IEN and its members face increased operating and administration costs to fund these activities.
In this context, I recently approved an annual allocation of funding to the IEN from the Environment Fund. I will be providing funding of €1,764,000 for the IEN and its constituent members in 2021. This is an increase of €704,000 on the level of funding provided in 2020. This funding is granted subject to the recipients complying with the provisions of Department of Finance Circular 13 of 2014, “Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds”.
The IEN is an independent umbrella organisation for environmental NGOs with its own corporate governance structures. The distribution and allocation of funding to its members is decided by the IEN. Member organisations are requested by the IEN to submit funding proposals, and member applications for core funding are then evaluated by an independent panel of adjudicators.
