Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his good wishes. I know they are sincerely felt.

The funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. Applications for a new round of funding, which commenced on 1 July 2014 , were subject to an appraisal process. My predecessor was anxious to make funding available to as many organisations as possible within the prevailing resource constraints and approved 55 applications for funding for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016.

While it was known that the existing scheme was ending on 30 June 2014 and applications were sought for the new scheme with no guarantee of continued funding, it is clear that organisations had become increasingly dependent on this funding. Against that background, on 18 July 2014, I announced the allocation of bridging funding of approximately €1.4 million to a number of previously funded health, disability and other organisations for a 12-month period, pending the carrying out of a review of the public funding of national organisations in the health and disability sector in particular. My Department has now commenced a process of engagement with the Department of Health in order to advance the review, which is being undertaken in agreement with my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Health with special responsibility for primary care, mental health and disability, Deputy Kathleen Lynch. The review is designed to rationalise in a progressive way the funding of these organisations to ensure efficiency in the use of public money and avoidance of duplication, while providing appropriate support to organisations working in the sector.

This bridging funding in 2014-15 is a once-off transitional arrangement and will enable organisations to plan for their future, whether with or without State support, such as that provided under the scheme to support national organisations. The question of the next round of funding under the scheme to support national organisations generally will be considered in good time ahead of the conclusion of the current scheme at the end of June 2016.

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