Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 18 and 34 together.

The progress on the new volunteering package, which I announced in March 2005, is as follows. Core funding will be provided to six volunteer bureaux, totalling €900,000 over the next three years. The Department has recently provided funding to the Ballyfermot volunteer bureau and, subject to completion of contracts, funding for 2005 totalling €50,000 will be made available shortly to the remaining five bureaux and to Volunteer Centres Ireland for the recruitment of a development officer. ADM Limited has requested proposals from all of the partnership companies relating to the further €500,000 of local area partnership funding which was ring-fenced for measures that encourage volunteers and volunteering.

With regard to the Cohesion Fund of €500,000, I hope that the Department will shortly be in a position to make a call for proposals through the city and county development boards of which the volunteering initiative will form part. Funding up to €600,000 is being provided to support the young social innovators programme, including the annual showcase awards, which will receive €75,000 per annum over three years. A total of €45,000 of that has been paid by my Department to date towards the YSI showcase awards for 2005 and, subject to completion of contract, funding of the YSI programme of €125,000 per annum will be made available shortly.

Funding up to €110,000 per annum will be provided by my Department to put the community learning programme on a sustainable footing over the next three years. Funding for the 2005-06 academic year will be made available shortly subject to the completion of contracts. This programme is a relatively new teaching method in our educational system which works by integrating classroom learning in any subject with suitable volunteering activity. The programme has been running on a pilot basis in the Dublin Institute of Technology since September 2001 through the school of hospitality, management and tourism with 12 students involved. By 2004 there were 65 students involved across a wide range of volunteering projects.

The institute's aim is to have the community learning programme method incorporated in all faculties over the next three years. It is my hope that this initiative will serve as a model for other third level colleges over the coming years. The DIT community learning programme includes provision for ongoing review, and the effectiveness of the Department's funding will be assessed within three years.

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