Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

The community and voluntary fora carry out valuable work on behalf of their communities. They provide an important input to the work of local authorities, particularly in the context of their membership of local authority structures such as the strategic policy committees, joint policing committees and county and city development boards.

I recently approved allocations totalling €587,000 to the fora to support their work. Such funding is in addition to any other supports provided by individual local authorities including meeting the expenses of community representatives on the aforementioned local authority structures. On 2 June last I approved a further €55,000 per annum to the Irish National Community and Voluntary Forum for the next two and half years, subject to annual budgetary review. This is on top of the €19,000 already allocated to this body as part of the overall fora allocation. The National Community and Voluntary Forum is the representative body of the fora. I recognise that my Department's allocation to the fora in 2011 represents a 50% reduction in the amount available last year, arising from decisions on the 2011 Estimates. This decision arose against the background of our current economic circumstances, which require that public expenditure has had to be substantially reduced.

The priority in these circumstances is to limit to the greatest extent possible the impact of expenditure reductions on essential services and on those most in need. These considerations continue to hold. Therefore, while I have no plans at present to alter the current level of funding available to the fora, final decisions in this context will have to be made as part of the determination of the 2012 Estimates. The Government recognises the value of the work carried out by community and voluntary organisations, including the community and voluntary fora, which complements State endeavours in the community area.

See this speech in context