Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)

The background to the Bill is the Dormant Accounts Act 2001 and the Life Assurance Policies Act 2003. The legislation introduced a scheme for the disbursement of funds that were unlikely to be reclaimed and covered three categories of funding: for those who were socially and economically disadvantaged, those who were educationally disadvantaged and persons with a disability. Responsibility for overseeing the disbursement of the moneys for those purposes was with the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board established under the legislation.

In December 2003, the Government reviewed the arrangements in regard to dormant accounts and decided to make significant changes. We now have the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2004 which commenced in the Oireachtas in June 2004. It proposes to amend the existing dormant accounts legislation principally in regard to decisions on disbursements from the dormant accounts fund and the role of the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board.

The objectives underpinning the disbursements from the dormant accounts fund remain the same as previously, that is, to assist those who are socially, economically or educationally disadvantaged and those persons who have a disability. The Bill proposes that the existing board be abolished and reconstituted. The board will have responsibilities similar to those in the past. It will have responsibility for the preparation of a disbursement plan and will periodically review and assess the effectiveness of the plan and the extent to which the objectives have been achieved. It will prepare reports on the additionality of the spend and comprise 11 members, with knowledge or experience relevant to the board's functions, and be appointed by the Minister.

The Minister stated that the changes being introduced to the scheme will provide for the disbursement of these funds in what he called a more focused and effective way for the purposes of tackling disadantage. That sounds fine but the fact is the changes are being made to the legislation at an early stage. Given that the Bill seeks to amend an Act which was passed as recently as 2001 it is clear the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board and the manner in which the funds were discharged was too independent for the Minister and the Government. This Bill is putting in place a politically motivated fund which is part and parcel of an attempt to buy the next general election in 2007. It is a politically motivated amendment Bill and is one with which I and most of the Opposition disagree and will oppose.

I draw attention to the voluntary and community sector and the use of legislation and funding such as this on a once-off basis to fund the sector. This is unacceptable. What is needed is general funding on a multi-annual basis to ensure community, voluntary and disability services are provided on an ongoing permanent basis at a high level. I draw attention to the lack of that type of funding. I am director of an organisation called Cuan Saor, based in Clonmel, which covers the constituency of Tipperary South. It is a women's refuge and support service for women affected by domestic violence. That organisation wrote to me recently as follows:

Cuan Saor would like to draw attention to the fact that there has been no increase in funding to the Violence Against Women services sector since 2002. The VAW services right across the country cannot continue to provide much needed support/information and Refuge accommodation to women and children who are experiencing domestic violence, unless the effective decrease in funding is addressed immediately. The groups involved represent two national helplines, 15 rape crisis centres and 38 refuges and domestic violence support services which between them support many thousands of victims annually. Domestic violence services continue to provide a vital service to women in desperate situations, however limited resources affects the capacity to meet the need. It is totally impossible for the inadequate funding of 2002 to sustain services with the increased running costs of 2005.

This effective cutback in funding comes at a time when more and more women are accessing services. In 2004 Cuan Saor provided emergency accommodation for 90 women and 131 children. Cuan Saor took 1,067 helpline calls from women seeking support and information and provided 727 drop-in support and information sessions.

Staff in Cuan Saor work alone from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. carrying responsibility for all of the services provided by the organisation, back up for this service is provided by senior staff on a voluntary basis. Lack of funding is crippling to the development of our services ie outreach services. We feel there is a growing need to expand our services to outlying towns and villages to make our services more accessible to families in our rural communities.

I wish to highlight this issue in respect of this legislation. These services are funded on an ad hoc rather than on a regular general or multi-annual basis, which is essential if the vital services being provided by organisations such as Cuan Saor women's refuge are to be provided on a proper professional and ongoing basis. The use of money coming from the dormant account fund is not the way to deal with ongoing funding of areas such as this.

The funding made available through the last disbursement of funds from the disbursement board was welcome and it benefited many areas throughout the country, including parts of my constituency. It funded local authority play areas in RAPID areas such as Clonmel, Carrick-on-Suir and Tipperary town and this is to be welcomed.

The fact that the Minister will in future be enabled to change the disbursement plan drafted by the board, that he will be in consultation with other Ministers and will make recommendations for the disbursement of these moneys, means that these funds will be used in the next two to two and a half years to buy votes. This has been the case in the disbursement of sports capital grants and national lottery funding which tend to go mainly to the constituencies of Ministers and Ministers of State.

I demand a totally independent method which will ensure that organisations, particularly those dealing with the disadvantaged and those with disabilities, be given a fair crack of the whip and that the allocation of funding to those sectors would not be dependent on which Minister, Minister of State, Government Deputy or Department raised the issue. This funding should be independently allocated. The Bill is a step backwards.

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