Caít Keane (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the witnesses to the committee, in particular Ms Tricia Nolan whom I have known for years in south Dublin and through volunteering. The year 2003 was mentioned. It was the year I was mayor and I placed particular emphasis on volunteering in south Dublin. I thank Ms Nolan for flying the flag well in south Dublin. Ms McKenna has nothing to worry about in that area.

There was a reference to 21 volunteering centres, but I thought there were 23. Did two close down? Can the witnesses say a little more about support and disproportionality? Where is it coming? There is a manager from Louth and another from south Dublin present here. All the heads of all 23 organisations come together as a group to co-ordinate activities. Where is the disproportionality evident? What can we or other parties do about that? As a national umbrella organisation, it should be possible to seek suggestions from the membership.

Ms McKenna mentioned all the good qualities of volunteering. To suggest a return of €11 million on a €2 million investment is to sell volunteering very short. If one considers also the health benefits and the issue of depression, a great deal of other valuable assets fall to be taken into account. It is not alone what people gain for the community, but what they gain for themselves in keeping themselves out of hospital. I do not know if people watched Maureen Gaffney's programme about how to be happy. She gave out a €20 note. It is known in volunteering that what one does for others gives one more satisfaction than what one does for oneself. She proved it again on Tuesday night when she showed that giving away is better than taking. If that was added in, I could see the figure of 3% of GDP referred to standing up as a reckoning of the benefits and value for money. The witnesses have always had an advocate in me for volunteering.

Motivation was mentioned and people realising, as Ms McKenna said, what volunteering can do for them. Most people who volunteer do not do it for themselves, rather they find out afterwards what it does for them personally. If we could do anything it would be to help to get the voices of the volunteer organisations known nationally. On foot of what the Chairman has recommended, we may be able to do something on a policy for volunteering. When the wise heads of the 23 organisations come together, might a prototype policy be developed? One cannot do anything without knowing where one is going and this is asking the converted to do what we know is necessary.

Nothing was mentioned about philanthropy in the statement that was submitted to the committee, unless I missed it. Philanthropy is significant in terms of donations for voluntary societies. Has a strategy been used in that regard? I presume so. Active citizenship and engagement are among the aims and objectives of the philanthropic organisations.

We want to ensure all State agencies in social areas are engaged and have a policy. I am spokesperson on the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government in the Seanad. What is needed is cross-cutting policy across all agencies to ensure that when a Department or agency is developing a policy, it includes volunteerism. In what ways do the witnesses consider the Departments are falling down or stepping up to the plate in that regard? What can the committee do to ensure there is cross-engagement among Departments?

We know from the statistics that everyone is looking for a job now, but volunteerism has not slowed down. It has been proven that 94% of people who volunteer get a job quicker when seeking employment. I thank the witnesses and hope they will keep it up.