Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022
142. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the Exchequer directly or indirectly funds an organisation (details supplied); if so, the cost to the Exchequer of funding the organisation in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14577/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra143. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the Exchequer directly or indirectly funds an organisation (details supplied); if so, the cost to the Exchequer of funding the organisation in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14578/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 143 together. 142 and 143 together.
My Department does not provide funding to either organisation directly. However my Department does provide funding to the Irish Environmental Network (IEN) who fund smaller member organisations. These national environmental NGOs are active on a broad range of environmental issues, including wildlife conservation, biodiversity and climate change.
In this context, I provided funding of €1,764,000 for the IEN and its constituent members in 2021 from the Environment Fund. This was an increase of €704,000 on the level of funding provided in 2020. This funding is granted subject to the recipients complying with the provisions of Department of Finance Circular 13 of 2014, “Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds”.
The IEN is an independent umbrella organisation for environmental NGOs with its own corporate governance structures. The distribution and allocation of funding to its members is decided by the IEN. Member organisations are requested by the IEN to submit funding proposals, and member applications for core funding are then evaluated by an independent panel of adjudicators.
