Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)

I will reiterate my belief in the voluntary and community sector by explaining how it acts as the concrete that binds communities and, consequently, societies together. The sector plays a vital role in providing social solidarity and support in the community.

I have been lobbied by people and asked to get my head around how to allow these groups to negotiate their terms and conditions of employment and their ability to spend money as they please. Granting negotiating rights on behalf of the sector is a difficult issue in light of the dozens of funding streams, for example, the HSE, local authorities, the Departments of Social Protection, Justice and Equality, the Environment, Community and Local Government and Health, the Garda Síochána and VECs. Intermediary bodies called local area partnership boards, which are limited companies, have responsibilities for funding streams and are usually under the management of Pobal. Will the Minister of State convey to the Government that it should strengthen the organisations by creating an umbrella organisation, one that could ensure stable funding for the groups, eradicate the duplication of funding and create greater efficiency in the community sector?

It is always sad to see programmes and projects collapse. I was a member of a local area partnership called the Kimmage, Walkinstown, Crumlin, Drimnagh, Terenure, KWCDT, partnership. It was put into liquidation by Pobal due to governance issues. So many community development projects and other projects have collapsed because of the simple matter of governance. More will do likewise unless the Government gets a handle on educating the people, mainly volunteers, who sit on boards tirelessly yet are not equipped to understand the importance of governance. To strengthen their role and allow them to spend money more productively, they should be better assisted. I cannot overstate the heroic and valuable work done by so many which provides the essential bond and social stability so needed in times of financial crisis.

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