Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 13 together.

During 2009, over 80 different organisations were approved for grants from my Department's community services programme, supporting an additional 300 employment opportunities in the provision of services. As Deputies will appreciate, the pressure on the public finances has significantly impacted on resources available for initiatives delivered by my Department with funding of €46 million available for the CSP in 2010, compared with over €50 million in 2009.

Of the 450 or so organisations approved to deliver services under the CSP, an increase of 80 on the January 2009 position, contracts in respect of some 320 projects expired at the end of 2009. In the current economic climate, I am keen that the current levels of employment in these organisations are maintained. However, given the reduction in overall funding for the programme, I can only do this by abolishing the non-wage grant that was previously payable. I have, however, provided a review process where an immediate examination of the impacts of the reduction in support to organisations is being undertaken.

It should be noted that organisations providing services under the CSP are required to develop non-public forms of income by way of charging fees, trading or fund-raising, as the programme is not designed to cover the full operating costs of supported organisations.

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