As the Deputy will be aware, decisions on the disbursement of dormant accounts funds were previously a matter for the dormant accounts fund disbursements board which was established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. On 1 September 2005, the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005 came into force, which provides for significant changes to the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts and for a reconstituted board.
Under this new legislation, the Minister is required to consult with appropriate Ministers for the purpose of developing a proposal for submission to Government for approval. This proposal will include the programmes and types of projects concerning which applications for disbursements will be invited, as well as the criteria to be applied in assessing applications made in response to the invitation.
On 4 January, having consulted with the appropriate Ministers and having obtained the approval of Government, I announced details of the allocation of €24 million this year for the purpose of supporting programmes and types of projects tackling social and economic disadvantage.
Under these new arrangements, applications will be received and assessed against published criteria by or on behalf of public bodies and the results of such assessments submitted to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The Minister will then submit the results of the assessments to the Government for approval.
Further announcements will be made shortly on funding for educational disadvantage and persons with a disability when ongoing work in the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Health and Children is completed and specific measures are submitted to Government for consideration.