Vol. 467 No. 7
342 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will examine the new procedures required by FÁS prior to authorising the renewal of community employment schemes; if he will make a statement on the difficulties which the new requirement of tax clearance certificate has caused; and his views on whether it will act as a discouragement to groups operating such schemes. [14460/96]
The only new procedure required by FÁS prior to authorising the renewal of a Community Employment (CE) project is that sponsors are now required to produce a current tax clearance certificate. I consider it appropriate that groups receiving grant aid from public funds should produce evidence that their tax affairs are in order and do not believe that this requirement will discourage voluntary/ community groups from sponsoring projects. For the information of the House, existing operating agreements FÁS have with sponsors already require them to register their affairs with the Revenue Commissioners.
