National lottery funding is used in my Department to support the community development programme, islands development programme and a number of family resource centres, under the family and community services resource centre programme. The community development programme was established in 1990 in recognition of the role of community development in tackling poverty and disadvantage.
Details of the funding paid in 1998 under these programmes is available in the Oireachtas Library for the information of Members. The total national lottery allocation for my Department in 1998 was £7.759 million.
Each of these programmes provides funding on a three year basis to projects participating in the programmes and payments are made on a quarterly basis and depend on the continued implementation of the agreed workplan and receipt of accounts and returns for payments previously issued.
I might mention that applications and proposals for funding under the CDP are considered by an independent technical group. The functions of the group also includes assisting the Department in drawing up a list of 30 priority areas/communities of interest to be targeted for the development of new projects as provided for in the Partnership 2000 agreement. I have already announced details of 17 areas that have been identified in the regions outside of the eastern and southern regions. The information gathering exercise is also being used by the technical group to identify priority areas for the family and community resource centre programme of which 11 have been announced.
In addition a CDP national advisory committee has been established to assist in the development of the CDP and advise me and my Department on relevant policy matters.