Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 1

Written Answers. - Voluntary Groups Funding.

Dick Spring

Ceist:

328 Mr. Spring asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give details of the funding, if any, which is available to voluntary groups under any of the following, or any other headings, and if he will also outline the means of application: (a) development of community centres, (b) youth activities, (c) creches, (d) women in education, (e) education in rural areas, (f) anti-poverty, (g) women's groups, (h) rural enterprise, (i) day care centres, (j) care of the elderly, (k) laundry, (l) meals on wheels, (m) tidy towns, (n) setting up community co-ops, (o) alternative energy, (p) mother and child, (q) development in traditional craft, (r) sport and (s) health.

Minister for Social Welfare (Mr. McCreevy)

The amounts allocated by the Government to my Department in respect of funding for voluntary and community groups in 1992 is as follows: a sum of £0.75 million for the scheme of once-off grants to voluntary organisations working with disadvantaged groups or in disadvantaged areas; a sum of £0.50 million for the scheme of grants to locally based women's groups involved in programmes of self-help and personal development; a sum of £0.60 million for special grants to voluntary organisations which were announced in the context of the recent budget; and a sum of £1.25 million for the community development programme. This programme, provides financial assistance to projects towards the cost of equipping and staffing local resource centres which provide a focal point for community development.

Details of the 1992 scheme of grants to voluntary organisations and grants for locally based women's groups were advertised recently in the national papers. I have arranged to have application forms and information leaflets on these grants sent to the Deputy for his information.

In addition, £1.35 million is provided to the Combat Poverty Agency whose work involves, inter alia, support for voluntary and community groups.