The ‘Ability’ programme is a pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities. It is co-funded by the Exchequer and the EU (under the European Social Fund, as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2014-2020).
The projects being funded will provide supports and assistance to more than 2,600 young people with disabilities aged between 15 to 29 years old. The programme will promote employment prospects and meaningful social roles for young people with disabilities and in particular, young people who are distant from the labour market, using a range of person-centred supports.
Recommendations as to which applications should receive funding were based on a detailed and independent assessment process undertaken by Pobal. Pobal awarded scores (out of 100) for all applications, with scores being assigned to each proposal based on a weighted marking system linked with the schemes evaluation criteria as follows:
- Meeting the programme/ measure priorities (40%)
- Need for the proposal (20%)
- Capacity of the organisation (20%)
- Value for money (20%)
The assessment process was based on the materials provided by the applicant as to how they proposed to address the objectives of the scheme in line with the award criteria, as set out above. This process was based entirely on the quality of the application and this applied irrespective of where the application originated.
Therefore, the likelihood that an application based in an individual county would receive funding was based on the number of applications from that county and on an objective assessment by Pobal of the quality of that application.
Only projects receiving a score of 60 or above were deemed by Pobal to be of sufficiently high standard to be recommended for funding. On this basis, of the 59 applications received Pobal recommended 27 projects as being suitable for funding; this represents some 46% of the proposals received.
The 59 applications were received from organisations in 22 counties. There were 13 counties in total for which only one application was received for example Donegal. Counties for which an application was received but could not be recommended for funding by Pobal include - Donegal, Carlow, Clare, Westmeath and Waterford.
It is also important to note that while some of the successful applications came from organisations that are headquartered or based in particular locations, some of the projects will be providing services beyond the particular location they are based in.
These recommendations were accepted as they were made by Pobal on the basis of the above objective criteria only, which were communicated to all applicants equally as part of the information campaign and programme materials.
Decisions as to funding were based entirely on the assessment and on the recommendation coming from the Pobal assessment process. Neither I, the Minister for State nor the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection had any role to play in deciding on individual recommendations under this completely independent assessment process.
It is important to note, that at the time of the launch of the ‘Ability’ programme, it was expected that funding for the programme would amount to some €10 million over a three year period. However, given the number and quality of the proposals received, enhanced funding arrangements have been put in place of €16 million to support all 27 projects recommended for funding by Pobal.
In addition to the above and in order to support the process, Pobal has put in place an appeals procedure for applicants who feel that decisions taken and procedures followed by Pobal in relation to its administration of applications was not applied fairly or consistently. Details of the procedure are on Pobal’s website (under “Useful Links”) at: https://www.pobal.ie/FundingProgrammes/Ability%20Programme/Pages/Ability%20Programme.aspx
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection continues through its nationwide network of Intreo offices and through the EmployAbility service (a specialist service that has been designed to support people with disabilities – which is delivered on behalf of the department by 23 companies located around the country) to offer a full range of supports and services to people with disabilities who wish to pursue their employment ambitions.
I hope this clarifies the issue for the deputy.
