Written Answers. - Law Centre Funding.
Richard Bruton
Ceist:
48
Mr. R. Bruton
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
whether his attention has been drawn to the growing deficit faced by the Coolock Community Law Centre who are operating on a Combat Poverty Agency grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Patrick McCartan
Ceist:
64
Mr. McCartan
asked the
Minister for Social Welfare
if he will meet with Coolock Community Law Centre, Dublin 17 in response to their submission on joint funding by his Department of the Centre.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 64 together.
Since its establishment in 1975, Coolock Community Law Centre has been funded variously by the Department of Justice, the National Committee on Pilot Schemes to Combat Poverty, my own Department and in recent years, through the Combat Poverty Agency.
Arising from my concern about thead hoc nature of the centre's funding, I arranged in 1987 for the Combat Poverty Agency to fund the centre for a three year period to the end of 1989. This funding amounted to £60,000 per year. I also arranged for an additional grant of £10,000 from the agency in late 1988 to clear the centre's long-standing overdraft together with a further grant of £6,000 in late 1989.
During this period, the agency undertook a comprehensive review of the centre's activities. In the light of this review the Government decided that the centre should continue to be funded by the agency at the increased level of £70,000 per year for the period 1990 to 1992.
This represents a substantial increase in the level of funding over that provided in 1989. It was also intended to give the centre security of funding at this level for a three-year period so that they could plan their operations accordingly. The question of funding for the centre after 1992 will be considered in due course.
The centre have not requested a meeting to discuss their funding position but any such request should be made to my office in the normal way.
