Ms Anne Fitzgerald:

They are being built through fund-raised income. The social action group is very good at raising money for specific projects. We want to get that across. People will contribute. If we tell the community we want to do something for the people of our community, as they are our neighbours and relatives, people are willing to give to specific projects where they can see a building and a result. It is far more difficult to raise money for the non-glamorous work that is essential to build these buildings such as that of quantity surveyors. No one is interested in that aspect but that is where our core needs remain.

We wish to stress that we are very good at fund-raising and we can build. We would love to get more and we will take what we can from whoever is willing to grant aid us. However, our essential needs are about strengthening our organisation to deliver locally on behalf of local citizens. We see ourselves as an equal partner and want to be recognised as a partner with the State in providing services within the local community. If a cost-benefit analysis was carried out, it would show that the State is benefiting hugely from the existence of organisations such as the social action group and that of our colleagues here. This is a net gain to the State as it does not have to provide these in core hospitals and services at a much higher cost. Despite this, we are not grant-aided to exist. We exist through spirit and will and not through the core recognition of the State. It does not say that there is a social capital and social gain here for all of us as citizens and as a society if these organisations are funded at a core level to do this work with us, on our behalf and in partnership with us.