Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 July 2014
119. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will revisit and reverse the decision not to allocate funding to the Irish Deaf Society under the scheme to support national organisations 2014-2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30485/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra123. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he will take to reinstate the funding that has been discontinued for the deaf advocacy service of the Irish Deaf Society, which is extremely important in the context of the persons who utilise the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30580/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra124. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will urgently consider restoring funding to the national deaf advocacy service of the Irish Deaf Society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30582/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 123 and 124 together.
The funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. A new round of funding was advertised for applications earlier this year. I asked Pobal to undertake an assessment of the applications received, given that organisation's significant experience and expertise of both the design of assessment criteria and completion of assessment functions. I was anxious to make funding available to as many organisations as possible within the prevailing resource constraints and I approved 55 applications for funding for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016. The Irish Deaf Society is not one of the organisations approved for funding on this occasion.
Pobal has put in place a dedicated team to deal with any inquiries from applicants and to provide detailed feedback. There is also an appeals process and Pobal has provided applicants with detailed information on this process. As this appeals process is now live, it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment on the funding process or on the application of any particular organisation.
