Written Answers. - National Development Plan.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
309
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the sections and division of the European Commission which are involved in assisting and/or monitoring the implementation of those aspects of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility; the name of the senior EU official with responsibility for that role; the number of meetings that have taken place since the publication of the national development plan between officials of his Department and the relevant officials of the European Commission; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5611/01]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
310
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will state, regarding the section of the national plan for which he has responsibility for its implementation, the number of consultants who have been hired by his Department to assist with the design or implementation of the national development plan; the projects upon which they are engaged; the cost of those projects; the approximate professional fee cost which the consultants will be charging his Department on completion of the consultancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5627/01]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
311
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the aspect of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility; the precise number of projects which are a part of that section of the national plan for which his Department has responsibility; the number of personnel in his Department who are working full-time and part-time on the national development plan; their grade within the Civil Service; the budgeted cost for each project; the timetable for its implementation; its current stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5643/01]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
312
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
the number of groups, statutory and non-statutory, but excluding local authorities, with which his Department is in regular contact or consultation in respect of the implementation of that section of the national plan for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5661/01]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:
313
Mr. Quinn
asked the
Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs
if he will outline, in respect of that section of the national development plan for which his Department has responsibility, the number of potential public private partnerships that have been identified; the number that are under active consideration; the name, location and potential cost of such projects; if any exchange of letters has taken place; if any other initial firm commitment has been entered into with prospective private providers; the approximate capital value of all projects so identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[5687/01]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 309 to 313, inclusive, together.
The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs has responsibility for a number of social inclusion measures in the national development plan. These measures come under two programmes-the employment and human resources development operational programme and the community development and family support measure.
The information sought in Questions Nos. 309, 310 and 313 is not relevant to these aspects of the national development plan and the queries raised by the Deputy in these questions are not applicable to the way in which the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs is meeting its commitments under the plan.
In relation to Questions Nos. 311 and 312, the information requested by the Deputy is as follows. Under the employment and human resources operational programme, the Department has responsibility for the ongoing development and implementation of the back-to-work allowance scheme and the back to education scheme, which constitute the two pillars of the employment support service of the Department.
In the national development plan, £950 million is provided for the duration of the plan for expenditure on the back-to-work allowance scheme and the back-to-education scheme, £665 million in the southern and eastern region and £285 million in the Border, midlands and western region. These schemes are being implemented on an ongoing basis and have been operational for a number of years. Some 38,000 people are being helped by the back to work scheme and some 5,500 people are being helped by the back to education scheme. One principal officer – higher level – and one assistant principal officer are working part time on the national development plan aspects of both these schemes.
Under the community development and family support measure, funding of some £110 million over the period of the plan has been made available to support the community development support programme, through funds made available from the national lottery. Funding of some £17 million has been allocated to these programmes in 2001. Community development is about promoting positive change in society in favour of those who usually benefit least and seeks to challenge the causes of disadvantage-poverty and to offer new opportunities to those lacking choice, power and resources. The community development support programme includes the community development programme, the family and community services resource centre programme and the programme of core funding to locally based community and family support groups.
Under the community development programme some 130 projects-areas countrywide are in receipt of funding or have been approved for inclusion in the programme. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness commits the Department to continuing the expansion of this programme to other disadvantaged areas. Some 70 projects-areas countrywide are in receipt of funding or have been approved for inclusion under the family and community services resource centre programme. Expansion of the programme will continue in line with the recommendations of the Commission on the Family to establish a network of 100 such centres over a four to five year period.
Some 40 projects-areas countrywide are in receipt of funding or have been approved for inclusion in the programme of core funding to locally based community and family support groups. The community development support programme is administered by the voluntary and community services section of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, which has the following staff allocated to the administration, implementation and policy development in relation to these and related programmes: one principal officer, one assistant principal officer, five higher executive officers, five executive officers and five clerical officers. Not all of these officers are exclusively devoted to the implementation of the national development plan measures; they also have other areas of responsibility. In addition, each of the regional offices of the Department has staff resources allocated to these programmes. The level of resources allocated varies from one region to the next to take account of local circumstances and the need to undertake other tasks.
The family services pilot project is under way in three local offices of the Department – Waterford, Cork and Finglas in Dublin. The pilots, initiated in 2000, build on the one-stop-shop concept with the aim of providing improved access to information for families. An allocation of £12 million has been made in the national development plan for the development and expansion of the successful aspects of the project following the completion of the pilot phase. Some £1 million has been made available to the projects in 2001.
The project is subject to ongoing evaluation during the pilot phase. A report has recently been completed and is being examined at management level in the Department to fully assess what would be involved and what resources would be required to effectively develop the project further. The pilots are being administered at regional level in the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs. Officers at higher executive officer level in each region have been assigned to develop the project during the pilot phase. The pilots are overseen by a project management committee at official level within the Department. Two regional managers represent the Department at the twice yearly meetings of monitoring committees for the southern and eastern regional operational programme and the Border, midlands and western programme.
The Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs has ongoing, frequent and broad based contact with a wide variety of groups, both statutory and non-statutory, at local, regional and national level in carrying out its responsibilities to customers. This would include, in the context of the programmes being supported under the national development plan, a wide range of Government Departments, the Combat Poverty Agency, local partnerships, county development boards, health boards, etc, as well as a range of non-statutory organisations in the voluntary and community sector, including locally based groups, those which work with families and organisations, both statutory and non-statutory, and those which are active in employability and education support.
Question No. 314 answered with Question No. 35.
Question No. 315 answered with Question No. 308.
