Thursday, 3 Jun 2004

Other Questions.

EU Presidency.

Ceisteanna (6)

Liz McManus

Ceist:

6 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason representatives of his Department were not involved in the recent EU Presidency conference, Migration and Mobility, in Bundoran; his views on whether it is acceptable that his Department was absent from a conference that discussed issues relating to social inclusion that are the direct responsibility of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16790/04]

Freagraí ó Béal (4 píosaí cainte)

Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Mr. N. Ahern)

The conference in question was organised by the Department of Social and Family Affairs as an important element of that Department's contribution to the programme of the Irish Presidency of the European Union.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs is the lead Department on social inclusion issues, both at national and EU levels. However, because of the cross-cutting nature of the issues arising the conference was organised in consultation with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which are the lead Departments in the areas of equality, migration and employment.

The overall policy context for the conference included the European employment guidelines which emphasise adaptability and occupational and geographic mobility, the Commission communication on immigration, integration and employment of June 2003, and the 2003 national action plan against poverty and social exclusion, in particular the focus on the high risk of poverty and social exclusion faced by some men and women as a result of immigration. The target audience for the conference included: members of a number of important EU committees, including the employment committee and the social protection committee; the Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers; heads of public employment services; social partners and academics.

The conference programme focused on the twin themes of European labour mobility and skills, and the social inclusion of migrant workers. The primary aim of the conference was to provide a forum for discussion of these issues in a European context among European policy makers. It was not intended as a means of discussing issues which arise in a specifically Irish context. In that regard my officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in other Departments and with the community and voluntary sector in the normal course of their work.

Finally, I refer the Deputy to the detailed reply of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs to this House on 28 April in respect of this conference.

Mr. O’Shea

There are elements to the Minister of State's reply that I find reasonable. However, when I read the report, it struck me as odd that there was no representation from his Department at the conference. The rationale behind the setting up of the Department, at which he is a Minister of State, was to streamline the delivery of services. The agendas associated with social inclusion, racism and discrimination concern other Departments, as the Minister of State pointed out, yet they will be addressed by programmes funded by his Department.

Although I take the point that there will be cross-departmental communication and co-operation, it may not be adequate if the Minister of State's Department is not present on every occasion when the issue of migrant workers entering the country by way of permit to take up employment is dealt with. We must concern ourselves with social inclusion, racism and discrimination. There is a need for tightening up.

Mr. N. Ahern

I understand the Deputy's point but, as I said, the conference was organised by the Departments of Social and Family Affairs, Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I believe there were also representatives from the Departments of Health and Children and Foreign Affairs in attendance. Therefore, five Departments were represented. They were very conscious of the desire to discuss the bigger picture in European terms and not to allow the conference to be consumed by local issues pertaining to Ireland or any other country. Migration and mobility are broad topics but the particular themes the conference addressed were labour mobility and skills, and the social inclusion of migrant workers.

We knew about the conference and we are dealing with the issues. Many of the 170 or so community development projects deal specifically with new communities and ethnic minorities, including Travellers. An equality and anti-racism sub-committee has operated within the programme for some years. Moreover, the programme funds a community development support unit within the National Consultative Committee on Racism and Interculturalism. Therefore, our Department is involved, through the community development projects, with many minority communities.

As I said, there were five Departments represented at the conference. A comprehensive report on everything that was discussed will be produced and will be available to us. The conference very much concerned the European picture and those involved did not want it to be taken over by the minutiae of the social inclusion measures of any specific country.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I remind the House that there is a limit of one minute on supplementary questions and their answers.

Community Development.

Ceisteanna (7)

John Gormley

Ceist:

7 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his Department has had ongoing contact or interaction with groups seeking to develop the concept of sustainable villages. [16836/04]

Freagraí ó Béal (3 píosaí cainte)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Responsibility for rural and community development lies with my Department and, in that context, sustainability is of interest to me. The Government is committed to ensuring the economic and social well-being of rural communities and to providing the conditions for a meaningful and fulfilling life for all people living in rural areas. In pursuing this, the rural environment will be respected and development in rural areas will take place in a sustainable manner.

The policy as set out in the White Paper on Rural Development has been enhanced by the publication of the national spatial strategy in November 2002. As the Deputy will be aware, the strategy outlines the spatial development of Ireland over the next 20 years and it deals extensively with the management of our rural areas in the interests of sustainability.

I will continue to address the issue of sustainable rural development in light of experience nationally and in the context of emerging EU rural development policy. In that context, as part of Ireland's Presidency of the European Union I have hosted two conferences in the past week on territorial cohesion and quality of rural life.

Against this background, while I have not had contact with groups seeking to advance the concept of sustainable villages, I am happy to meet with relevant interests committed to sustaining rural communities.

The Leader programmes exist to assist the social and economic development of local communities. In July 2001 the Government appointed groups in all rural areas to deliver the programmes. Leader is a bottom up initiative with decision-making devolved to local boards, which take decisions on grant aiding projects within detailed operating rules drawn up by my Department and approved by the EU Commission. As part of their overall strategies for the development of their own areas, Leader groups interact regularly with groups seeking to develop the concept of sustainable villages.

Mr. Boyle

The Minister has chosen to answer the question generally, which is fair enough given the nature of the question. However, I was interested in knowing if he had interacted with specific groups and he has indicated he has not. It is more useful to spell out the concept of sustainable villages. While every village settlement can have sustainability in its day-to-day operations, I had in mind the sustainable village movement. A project in Cloughjordan, County Tipperary, called The Village, will soon come on stream and a group in Timoleague, an Baile Dulra, has proposals to add to existing village settlements or to create a new village settlement meeting all sustainability needs in terms of employment and services in the area itself and the materials used in the housing structures. This goes somewhat beyond what is proposed in the White Paper and needs more interaction than has been evident to date as it gives indications as to how such new-build and additional-build development can proceed with the appropriate Government support.

Éamon Ó Cuív

The groups mentioned have not approached me or sought a meeting. Other than those in rural Ireland who live in towns, everybody lives in a village. Unfortunately some villages are now totally deserted. I could name a number of villages in my area where families used to live and which are now empty. Of course I would love to reconstruct them as sustainable villages to help overcome the scourge of migration. Whenever I meet rural groups, community councils etc., I am always asked how to sustain the population in our villages. When I go to Aghabog, those in the villages around Aghabog ask how we can sustain them. Population sustainability is a huge objective of my ministry. I brought the issue to the fore in establishing the CLÁR programme.

Proposed Legislation.

Ceisteanna (8)

Ciarán Cuffe

Ceist:

8 Mr. Cuffe asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of submissions received on the consultation being undertaken on reform of charities legislation. [16831/04]

Freagraí ó Béal (7 píosaí cainte)

Mr. N. Ahern

The public consultation, arising from the commitment in an Agreed Programme for Government to regulate charities, had a deadline of 28 May 2004. By that deadline, my Department received 79 submissions. The dedicated charities regulation page of my Department's website should contain a list of those who responded to the public consultation.

Mr. Boyle

I wish to express my disappointment that having properly tabled this question last Friday at 11 o'clock, I saw this answer in a press release issued yesterday by the Department. While I can understand the need for the Government to release information, given the Standing Orders of this House, I would have thought the press release could have had an embargo until at least today as a parliamentary question had been tabled.

There is still a question as to whether charities legislation is needed. Surely the issues concerning charities now are the same as when the Costello report was issued 25 years ago. When will the heads of the Bill be completed?

Mr. N. Ahern

When I heard the Deputy ask his question this morning on the Order of Business, I wondered if it related to a matter under my remit. I understood there was an embargo on that press release until this morning so I am surprised to hear the Deputy saw it yesterday. I did not give any briefing — it was routine information. I am sorry if it got out yesterday, which was not the intention. While I might not have been sufficiently aware of the protocols, I am sorry if it got out quicker than it should have.

We have received a number of reports over the years, including the Costello report, the Burton report and the Law Commission report, which may have repeated the same information. Having received the 79 submissions, mostly from groups comprising about eight or ten from individuals, the general response is favourable. We have appointed an expert to review them and it should be complete by the end of the summer, at which point we will try to introduce legislation. Our target for enacting the legislation will be the end of 2005, about 15 months after the review, which is probably ambitious.

Mr. Crawford

Does the Minister of State realise the potential for abuse of charities? The longer we leave this without addressing the problem, the more damage we do to genuine charities.

Mr. N. Ahern

I agree with the Deputy. Some excellent charities exist and a number of them are very good in their accountancy and annual reports. They are not obliged to produce these, which is a weakness in the system. In many cases a donor can give €20 to a very worthy charity, without knowing if €1, €19 or 19 cent goes to the actual charity.

Mr. Crawford

It is being totally abused.

Mr. N. Ahern

There is scope for abuse and the general response of those reputable charities has been very supportive of the need for legislation and regulation requiring compulsory registration etc. Fears exist that something could emerge from the charity world that could damage the whole sector. I am sure all the charities about which we hear every day are reputable. There are suggestions that some that we hear less of might be linked to money laundering and international terrorism. A trust could be established for anything. The charities area is a potential minefield.

In recent years responsibility for charities has transferred between different Departments. The three reports I mentioned were good, but were never acted upon. When complete this will be a comprehensive Bill incorporating legislation from the 1960s and earlier. It will not be easy. From my work in the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, I have seen how slow it can be to get legislation through the Office of the Attorney General and so on. Enacting legislation within 12 or 15 months of starting in September is about as ambitious as we can be. The legislation is necessary and charities' groups fully support us.

Rail Network.

Ceisteanna (9)

Eamon Ryan

Ceist:

9 Mr. Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his Department is making a submission to the group considering the re-opening of the western rail corridor; and his views on such a proposal. [16838/04]

Freagraí ó Béal (3 píosaí cainte)

Éamon Ó Cuív

I have already conveyed my views on the reopening of the western rail corridor to my colleague, the Minister for Transport. As the Deputy will recall, the Minister for Transport announced the formation of an expert working group to examine in detail the potential for developing the western rail corridor. The group is composed of representatives of a wide range of organisations with an interest in this development, including county councils, regional authorities, county development boards, the Western Development Commission, Irish Rail, the Railway Procurement Agency, the Department of Transport, West on Track and the inter-county rail committee and is chaired by Mr. Pat McCann, chief executive of the Jury's Doyle Hotel Group. I understand that the first meeting of the group will be held in Galway in the coming weeks.

I have made no secret of my desire to see the corridor re-opened. In the short term, I believe that sections of the corridor should be re-opened to provide commuter services between cities and towns. I will continue to liaise with the Minister for Transport to progress this project.

Mr. Boyle

I am glad to hear the Minister supports the project. Beyond communicating with the Minister for Transport, I ask the Minister to consider a formal submission by his Department to the group in question. It would carry added weight and give the impression that an active debate is occurring within Government on the feasibility and necessity of undertaking the project.

Is the Minister aware of concerns about the delaying of decisions on the rural transport scheme into July? Many rural development groups fear the decisions will be negative. Does the Minister have an opinion on the matter and is he in a position to ensure that positive decisions are made soon?

Éamon Ó Cuív

Long before I became Minister, I was in constant contact with the inter-county rail group on the western rail corridor. I compliment the people involved, particularly Fr. Michéal MacGréil who credits the famous singer Boxcar Willie with the preservation of the rail line. The singer was in Castlebar when the group was established and he said the most important thing was to preserve the line. Thanks be to God, that happened. We are now moving to a new phase. I am not one for making extensive submissions as I would rather work dynamically. I would prefer to work with my colleagues while leaving room for debate, manoeuvre and the forward movement we would all like to see. The Western Development Commission is already represented on the group. The best thing for me to do is remain in day-to-day contact with my ministerial colleague who has been very supportive of the project.

Deputy Boyle asked an unrelated question about rural transport. The importance of rural transport goes far beyond the confines of the rural transport initiative. I am directly responsible for some rural transport services, particularly those to the islands. In consultation with colleagues, I will continue to seek to get the best results in terms of expenditure on rural transport. Rural areas have not received their fair share of State expenditure on transport. I have said time and again that it is easier and cheaper to provide rural transport services than urban transport services. I do not agree with the popular theory that it is cheap to provide transport in a city. It is chaotically dear and in the end cities become completely car dependent which is something we do not want.

Scéimeanna Ranna.

Ceisteanna (10)

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

10 D’fhiafraigh Mr. McGinley den Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta an gcuirfidh sé deontas breise ar fáil chun na bearnaí faoi ché úr Chladach na gCaorach i gCill Chártha a líonadh sula bpléascann an taoide an píosa úr. [16782/04]

Freagraí ó Béal (3 píosaí cainte)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Tá deontas feabhsúcháin ceadaithe ag mo Roinn i mbliana do Chomhairle Chontae Dhún na nGall faoi scéim na gcéibheanna beaga sa Ghaeltacht don chéibh atá luaite ag an Teachta. Costas iomlán de €120,000 atá i gceist, €90,000 ó mo Roinn féin agus €30,000 ón gComhairle Contae. Ciallaíonn an deontas seo go mbeidh an chomhairle in ann leanúint leis na hoibreacha ar an chéibh seo a tosaíodh i 2003. Is dóigh liom go bhfeileann sé sin leis an gceist a d'ardaigh an Teachta.

Mr. O’Dowd

Go raibh maith ag an Aire as ucht an fhreagra. An mbeidh go leor airgid ann chun an jab a chríochnú ansin?

Éamon Ó Cuív

Sin na meastacháin a fuaireamar don obair. Ta riail an-daingean agam faoi na rudaí seo. Muna déantar cás soiléir cén fáth nach raibh an meastachán dóthaineach, fágtar an dualgas ar an gcomhairle contae an obair a chríochnú laistigh den mheastachán.

Caithfidh mé a rá go bhfuil togha oibre déanta ag Comhairle Contae Dhún na nGall le deontais ón Roinn le blianta beaga anuas agus tá an-mhuinín agam as, i dtaobh na hoibre a dhéanann an comhairle.

Voluntary Activity.

Ceisteanna (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin

Ceist:

11 Ms B. Moynihan-Cronin asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position with regard to implementing the White Paper on voluntary activity; the progress being made in the formal review of the workings of the White Paper’s implementation advisory group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16791/04]

Olwyn Enright

Ceist:

37 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if, in line with the Government White Paper on supporting voluntary activity, he has appointed a voluntary activity unit responsible for his Department’s co-operation with voluntary and community organisations; if so, the unit’s personnel, activities and work to date; if not, the reason therefore; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16673/04]

Freagraí ó Béal (15 píosaí cainte)

Mr. N. Ahern

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 37 together.

The White Paper, A Framework for Supporting Voluntary Activity and for Developing the Relationship between the State and the Community and Voluntary Sector, states the Government's long-term strategy to develop and support the community and voluntary sector. It details a range a recommendations and funding initiatives which have been considered by the implementation and advisory group established to progress them. In September 2003, I announced the successful applicants for two major White Paper funding initiatives in the community and voluntary sector. These were the funding scheme to support the role of federations, networks and umbrella bodies and the funding scheme for training and supports. The schemes will direct approximately €7.4 million in funding to 56 organisations in the community and voluntary sector over the coming three years.

A consultation paper on establishing a modern statutory framework for charities was posted on the Department's website on 17 December 2003. The White Paper indicated that a review of the implementation and advisory group should take place after three years. Work on the review is continuing in my Department and I expect it to be concluded in the coming months. The designation of voluntary activity support units in relevant Departments to support the relationship between the State and the community and voluntary sector was one of the recommendations in the White Paper. The tasks envisaged by the White Paper for such units include monitoring the relationship between the State and the community and voluntary sector and liaison with the sector regarding policy development and service and programme delivery.

My own Department has a number of voluntary activity units. Each unit liaises with the sector on policy development and service delivery in the programme areas for which it is responsible. The voluntary and community services section comprises 25 staff. It is responsible for departmental policy in the areas of volunteering and corporate social responsibility and administers a range of grant schemes to support the community and voluntary sector. The local development section has six staff and is responsible for departmental policy in the areas of local development and RAPID and the day-to-day management of these programmes. The drugs strategy unit comprises ten staff and is responsible for co-ordinating the implementation of the national drugs strategy in conjunction with 14 local drugs task forces and ten regional drugs task forces. The Leader section comprises ten staff and is responsible for the management of the Leader programme. The Gaeltacht and islands division has 63 staff and is responsible for policy on the Gaeltacht and the Irish language. The division is also responsible for the administration of a variety of grants for Gaeltacht and island communities.

Mr. O’Shea

How would the Minister of State respond to the implementation and advisory group member who has asked what is happening to the White Paper on voluntary activity? The answer is, "Very little." Not everybody is happy with the progress being made. The two funding schemes were several years late in coming into operation. The income level of one was 53% lower than originally projected. The three initiatives undertaken so far this year were the conference, the charities legislation, with which we have dealt, and the review of the implementation and advisory group. I find it alarming when a member of the group says very little is happening on foot of the White Paper on voluntary activity.

Mr. N. Ahern

While I acknowledge what the Deputy says about the funding schemes, they worked out quite successfully. There was a period in late 2002 and early 2003 when they went through a sticky patch with funding which they might not have survived. The outcome has been very successful given how unlikely it seemed the schemes would survive at one stage. The implementation and advisory group was established for a three-year period and it is now under review. The members have been asked for their comments. We must find the best way forward. Different people had different perceptions of what progress could be made. The Department was established in the meantime and we have been trying to co-ordinate the work of various groups. There have been different priorities at different phases.

Overall, while it has not perhaps reached some people's expectations, much progress has been made and much work has been done by the IAG. Many of the recommendations in the White Paper have been implemented or are on the way to being implemented.

Mr. Boyle

Why have some of the modest recommendations in the White Paper not been implemented? A sum of £0.5 million or perhaps €0.5 million was to be put aside for a study to measure the extent of volunteerism. That is a quite obvious measure which would give us a base reference in terms of the scale and quality of volunteerism in Ireland in the year 2000, when the report came out, but it has not been brought into being. A budget cut of that nature casts doubt on the sincerity of whether we want to know the extent of volunteerism in our society, and if we do not want to know, what we are prepared to do to support it. The Minister of State might give some indication when or if that minor recommendation is likely to be implemented.

Mr. N. Ahern

The figure involved was some £400,000, equivalent to about €500,000. We did not go ahead with the recommendation and the decision was deferred. We felt that the grants to the groups under the scheme and the training scheme were the priorities, so the recommendation in question fell.

In the overall context, the issue was relatively small, though big in the Department's context. If it were a question of funding academics and universities to do research, there was doubt about that being a real priority at the time and whether very scarce resources should be allotted in that way. Decision was deferred on that aspect of the research funding and it is not the intention to revive it in the short term.

Mr. Boyle

That being the case, would it not be in order for the Department to propose that in the next census people should be asked if they engaged in volunteerism, to what degree and what sort of volunteering work, whether environmental work, work with sporting bodies, work with younger or older people? Let us at least get the base figures for the degree of volunteering. The Department would then be better able to make decisions it needs to make with regard to its resources.

Mr. O’Shea

We have the White Paper on voluntary activity. The other report is Tipping the Balance. I note some frustration in the sector regarding the implementation of recommendations. Tipping the Balance is a sort of parallel paper to the White Paper. Does the Department intend to develop legislation based on the recommendations in Tipping the Balance?

Mr. N. Ahern

Tipping the Balance is still under consideration. We are not currently planning legislation. What we try to do, and what the Department was set up to do, is pull together many of the different task forces, the CDPs and partnerships and so on. We have been reluctant to fund another layer of volunteer bureaux.

The Deputy's idea has merit but we have been trying to encourage the existing system and encourage the various bodies in what they are doing. It would be contradictory if the Department tried to co-ordinate many of the existing local development structures with another section of the Department forming a new layer. We are trying to get them all to work together and then see how, within the new structure, we can have more volunteer bureaux. We want the existing structures involved rather than a new one. The matter is still under consideration but that is how our thinking goes. Could Deputy Boyle clarify his point?

Mr. Boyle

I suggest contacting the Central Statistics Office in order to have a census question asked.

Mr. N. Ahern

Some study has been carried out regarding the value of volunteering activity, which is enormous. Traditionally, many people involve themselves in volunteering without calling it that. If one were to quantify volunteering and pay for it, it would involve several hundred million euro annually. It represents an enormous effort and contribution by people to the State, though most people would not see it in those terms. Some studies have quantified the value. I understand the Deputy's suggestion.

Mr. O’Shea

It has been stated to me that through the organisation Business in Community people with a great deal to offer in terms of expertise and experience are available. The problem is that there is no mechanism for matching them up to projects. This is a real concern. If it can be eliminated by introducing the sort of structure that can match up people in the business community who are prepared to make their services available in the voluntary sector, we should do everything possible to ensure this happens.

Mr. N. Ahern

There are many such initiatives. There are pilot projects and schemes under way, though none fully developed. Businesses and business people can be very supportive and helpful to individual groups. This links back to the charities area. Many business people would like to see more charity relief from the tax and revenue side. They would like the system to offer them better encouragement to fund charitable organisations.

This area is developing. I accept there is much in the White Paper which would help to push it forward. The fundamental aim of the Department was to do what we were set up to do, to bring some co-ordination into what was there, and then work forward from that foundation.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

12 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his Department has undertaken an estimation of the value of the contribution of volunteers to the economy; when the last estimate was taken; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16799/04]

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

20 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has plans to establish a national policy on volunteering to be housed within his Department and to co-operate with other relevant Government Departments, agencies and the social partners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16800/04]

Joe Sherlock

Ceist:

26 Mr. Sherlock asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has plans to establish more volunteer bureaus here than the 11 bureaus that already exist; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the optimal number of bureaus required here is between 25 and 37; if he has plans to commit to the development of an infrastructure for volunteering to include up to 25 bureaus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16798/04]

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

34 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he intends to publish legislation based on the recommendations contained in Tipping the Balance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16803/04]

Mr. N. Ahern

I propose to take Questions Nos. 12, 20, 26 and 34 together.

The issues raised by the Deputies are ones which have been addressed in Tipping the Balance, the report of the national committee on volunteering. The report contained a number of recommendations on a range of complex and cross-cutting issues, including recommendations for the development of volunteering policy and for the establishment of a State-supported volunteering infrastructure involving the establishment of a national office and a nationwide network of volunteer bureaux.

The process of examination and consideration of the report's recommendations, having due regard to budgetary considerations, is continuing in my Department. In that regard a sub-group of the implementation and advisory group, established under the terms of the White Paper on supporting voluntary activity, is currently examining the report with a view to identifying how the recommendations might be progressed. Its work will contribute to my Department's consideration of the report.

With regard to the most recent estimate of the economic value of volunteering, I would refer the Deputy to the 1999 report of the John Hopkins University and the National College of Ireland, "Uncovering the non-profit sector in Ireland", which puts the imputed value of volunteering at £470.7 million in 1995 terms.

The question of legislation, should it arise, and any other issues arising from the examination of the report, such as a current estimation of the economic value of volunteering, will be considered on conclusion of my Department's examination.

Mr. O’Shea

Business in the Community gave a figure to the Joint Oireachtas Committee showing that in 1995 volunteering was worth £580 million. The figure for 1999 given by John Hopkins University is less than that. I do not know what this indicates. It may indicate that different methods of measuring were implemented for the two surveys. However, in the context of last year's Special Olympics, the figure must have been extraordinarily high.

The Minister would agree that a fine resource exists comprising those who voluntarily want to contribute to their communities and various community groups. There should be a better focus in terms of maximising the return to the community from this group. To have people volunteering is different from having money coming in from various companies and is a more valuable input. While it is a considerable resource, it would appear from the answers given that the Department could be moving faster to help make the most of what is available.

Mr. N. Ahern

To some extent the Deputy has a point. However, while it may not be moving at the speed we would like, the fundamental aim of the Department was to get a grip on the issue. It is only recently that the sub-committee of the implementation and advisory group, IAG, was set up specifically to consider the Tipping the Balance programme. While progress might be slow, the IAG considered the charities issue. The group's establishment of the sub-committee led to a bubble of interest and an increased number of parliamentary questions on the issue. Much is happening and we will make more progress on this from now on.

Irish Language.

Ceisteanna (17)

Dan Boyle

Ceist:

13 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the actions he has undertaken during Ireland’s Presidency of the European Union to gain full working language status for the Irish language within the EU. [16829/04]

Freagraí ó Béal (6 píosaí cainte)

Éamon Ó Cuív

I have already addressed this issue in my reply to Priority Question No. 1, which was put down to me in the Irish language on today's Order Paper. As indicated in that reply, the working group set up by Government to examine this issue has now reported. Its report is currently being examined by relevant Ministers and I expect that the issue will be brought formally to Government very shortly. Until my Government colleagues have formally had an opportunity to consider the issue in detail, I do not propose to say anything further publicly on the matter.

Mr. Boyle

Tá Ceist Uimh. 62, in ainm an Teachta Trevor Sargent, ar an ábhar seo chomh maith. I heard the Minister's earlier reply and heard him say previously that the Irish EU Presidency cannot speak on behalf of this country's interest. However, I would have thought that part of the Presidency process was the logistical difficulties involved in incorporating the nine new languages coming on-stream with the joining of the EU by the accession countries. Such logistical problems will affect all the operations of the Union from now on. In this context, not to include Irish as one of the working languages of the EU is not only an oversight but a failure to make the argument that many in this country feel the Government should and could have made. Given the Minister's reluctance to comment further on this, we will wait to discover whether any further action will be taken in the remaining days of the month.

Mr. O’Dowd

Nothing will happen.

Éamon Ó Cuív

I want to explain about procedures. The decision was made in regard to the accession countries on the day the accession treaty was signed, not on 1 May this year. This pre-dated our Presidency quite considerably. It was implemented and came into effect on 1 May. I accept there was a difficulty in regard to Malta, for which a special derogation has been provided because enough translation staff could not be obtained by Brussels to translate all European legislation as it is published. Without this derogation, a major impediment would have been created.

There is a convention whereby countries do not put forward issues in their own interest during their Presidency. If there is a time for dealing with this issue, it was when our Presidency finishes. I assure the Deputy there will not, within the month, be an official application to the European Union to have Irish included as an official working language. The time to do this is when Ireland does not hold the EU Presidency.

Those who have peddled the line, month after month, that there was some opportunity to be missed were wrong on two counts: first, because the date 1 May had no relevance to the issue and, second, because the Presidency was the period when it would have been improper for Ireland to have promoted this issue.

Mr. O’Dowd

Of course there was an opportunity. The Minister is being ridiculous.

Éamon Ó Cuív

We will deal with this issue.

Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.