Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The National Forum on Europe comes under subhead N in my Department's Vote. The Estimate provision for the year is €1.491 million. Up to the end of August, €835,312 had been expended and the balance remaining is €655,688. That allocation was increased at the beginning of the year. Most of the allocations should come in on target, depending on various expenditures, but the month on month figures are not reliable. Sufficient resources are available. Discussions are ongoing regarding the 2007 Estimates but I am conscious we should keep the forum going at its existing level. There should not be a difficulty meeting its allocation for 2007. There is no great issue, as it is seen as doing a good job and its publications are useful. The forum extended its reach during the summer months to locations where large numbers of the public were in attendance and that worked well. The staff has been engaged in meeting and addressing the people.

The NCCP, the NESF and the NESC are covered under separate subheads with the NCCP allocated €1.46 million while the NESF was allocated €704,000. At the end of August, both organisations were broadly on line to meet their expenditure. The NESC was allocated €1.923 million and it is also on line to meet this allocation. The advantage is that all the organisations are working from a central office in Parnell Square and the administrative costs are shared. While the organisations are still separate, carrying out their individual functions, the value is that the overheads and administration costs are collective. There has been a good administrative saving as a result but the organisations still have separate remits. The NESF continues to be a strategic organisation dealing with reports on the economy, social partnership and other issues while the NCCP very much works on social policy and issues identified by Oireachtas Members who are also members of the committee. Overall, the organisations have no funding problems and operate well within budget with no pressure on their allocations.

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