Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

Have the Minister or any of his Government colleagues been involved in discussions regarding the plight of voluntary organisations as Christmas approaches? Will funding be provided for these organisations in order that they might provide assistance to people who have fallen into poverty? Groups such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul are pleading for funding so that they might try to attempt to deal with the crisis that exists. I was informed about one instance where the amount being paid out by a particular group rose from €5,000 to €50,000 in one week. What will the Government do to provide solace to such groups through the provision of funding as Christmas approaches, given that the Christmas bonus has been done away with? The opposite to that is that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is paying this now instead of the Government. Have there been discussions to alleviate this position?

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