John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. This is an important and interesting topic for budget day, and I have prepared a few notes accordingly. It is important that we acknowledge the real role that volunteering has played in our society for a very long time.

I am pleased to be able to address the Seanad on the important role of volunteering in Irish society. I shall use this as an opportunity to say a few words about the wider community and voluntary sector, before addressing the specific ways in which the Government encourages volunteering and active citizenship in Irish society.

The community and voluntary sector in Ireland has a long and interesting record that accurately reflects the economic, political and social history of the country. The past 50 years, in particular, have witnessed enormous changes in Irish society, which one can easily track as regards the development of the sector. Irish society today is modern and professional in its outlook and the community and voluntary sector is equally so. The sector often acts on behalf of the State and engages successfully with it on many fronts. It would not be possible to do so without a high level of expertise, professionalism and dedication. Ireland can be proud of its strong tradition of volunteer activity, which existed before the growth of any formal voluntary sector. It has its roots in our Christian tradition and its history and development parallels that of the country. Until relatively recent times the meitheal, or co-operative working in communities, was a standard feature of Irish life. We have retained this tradition of people helping each other, of coming together and pooling resources and skills when a task needs to be done. People who come together to work on school committees or on community activities probably don't even think of themselves as volunteers. Ultimately, the sum of their individual efforts invariably brings a value which is immeasurably more than the simple tally of their individual and unselfish acts.

Volunteering is central to the ideals of democracy, social inclusion and active citizenship. It is also an expression of the individual's involvement in their community. The giving of time for others strengthens the fabric of our societies and defines the communities in which we live.

In recent years, the Government has sought to encourage the dynamism of the voluntary sector and has prioritised significant new resources in support of this. New research being finalised on behalf of the Department estimates that the State now provides in excess of €5.4 billion per annum to the wider non-profit sector in Ireland. This funding is to support the essential services that community and voluntary groups provide to Irish society on a not-for-profit basis. These services include social care, child care, elder care, health services, education, environmental, sport, cultural, advocacy, artistic and countless other activities.

The important role of the non-profit sector in our society has been reflected in the development of relations between the Government, the public authorities in general and the community and voluntary sector. Nowhere is that better displayed than in the evolution of social partnership to include the sector as a full partner over recent years. It is right that organisations with direct, personal experience of the circumstances and problems of those who might otherwise be almost voiceless in Irish society should be heard at the table of social partnership. It is also right that the participants in that process — including the Government — should be required to take on board and reflect, in policies and actions, the needs and aspirations of communities and interests served by voluntary organisations. It is right, too, that the sector should be aware of the concerns and constraints of the other social partners, and of the public authorities, through a respectful continuing dialogue.

Successive reports on the Irish community and voluntary sector have emphasised the need for an enabling environment for the voluntary sector and experience from other countries have reinforced this view. Such an infrastructure is becoming increasingly important in the context of key objectives under social partnership regarding social inclusion, lifelong learning and the promotion of active citizenship.

In September 2000, the Government published the White Paper on a Framework for Supporting Voluntary Activity and for Developing the Relationship between the State and the Community and Voluntary Sector. The White Paper was designed to establish a policy of support for community and voluntary groups and a framework of support for the sector across Government Departments and agencies.

In the Towards 2016 partnership agreement the Government identified the importance of voluntary activity emerging organically from communities and the responsibility of providing an enabling framework' to support this. Towards 2016 described the Government's approach to engaging with the community and voluntary sector as combining light regulation with proper accountability.

In recent years, the Government has been pursuing the policies developed under Towards 2016 and the White Paper. I will briefly mention some specific measures introduced by my Department to develop an enabling environment for the overall sector. One measure is the introduction of charities legislation. The Charities Bill, which it is anticipated will go to Report Stage in Dáil Éireann in the current Dáil session, provides for the dissolution of the Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland. The Bill further proposes that a new Charities Regulatory Authority will take over the functions of the commissioners, as well as assuming a broader regulatory role for charities operating in Ireland, so as to ensure accountability and to protect against abuse of charitable status and fraud, thus enhancing public confidence in the charities sector.

The Department provides funding to the community and voluntary sector for training on capacity building in governance and compliance, strategic development, and service to communities. The local development programme also provides training and education grants for community development capacity building, IT training, or any other training priorities identified by local voluntary groups.

The community development programme provides community premises, development workers and a capacity building project to disadvantaged communities in over 150 locations throughout the country. They play a significant role in building community infrastructure and enhancing the capacity of the voluntary groups within the communities.

Against the background of the Task Force on Active Citizenship, the Government noted the establishment of a Forum on Philanthropy to deepen and strengthen a culture of philanthropy in Ireland. Developments since the establishment of the forum include Government approval of flagship projects with the private sector to the value of €51 million, publication of Philanthropy Ireland's Guide to Giving, the endorsement of increased philanthropic activity by the Task Force on Active Citizenship and the establishment of the Social Finance Foundation. The work of the forum is ongoing.

I turn now to the lifeblood of the voluntary sector, the volunteers themselves, who, from every walk of life, offer their time and skills in the service of their community. Since taking over my role as Minister of State with special responsibility for drugs and community affairs, I have become acutely aware of the vital work that is carried out by volunteers the length and breath of Ireland. I have witnessed the sense of optimism and altruism that permeates many communities. There is, however, a paradox. While in this country we pride ourselves on our ingrained tradition of voluntary commitment, there are also increasing numbers of citizens who feel little connection or sense of duty to their neighbours and their wider community. There are ongoing pressures which mitigate against volunteering and civic engagement. Some of these relate to lifestyle and the pressures of combining working life with home and family commitments.

Against the background of the task force on active citizenship, the Government noted the establishment of a forum on philanthropy to deepen and strengthen a culture of philanthropy in Ireland. Developments since the establishment of the forum include Government approval of flagship projects with the private sector to the value of €51 million; publication of Philanthropy Ireland's Guide to Giving; the endorsement of increased philanthropic activity by the task force on active citizenship and the establishment of the Social Finance Foundation. The work of the forum is ongoing.

I now turn to the lifeblood of the voluntary sector, the volunteers themselves, who, from every walk of life, offer their time and skills in the service of their community. Since taking over my role as Minister of State with special responsibility for drugs and community affairs, I have become acutely aware of the vital work carried out by volunteers the length and breadth of Ireland. I have witnessed the sense of optimism and altruism that permeates many communities. Here though is the paradox. While we in this country pride ourselves on our ingrained tradition of voluntary commitment, there are also increasing numbers of citizens who feel little connection or sense of duty to their neighbours and their wider community.

There are ongoing pressures which militate against volunteering and civic engagement. Some of these relate to lifestyle and the pressures of combining working life with home and family commitments. This is especially the case in the context of more extensive commuting. Some people are put off by the accountability which can arise from engagement in organised activities, old and new. Others still can be discouraged by criticism or by the indifference of those who stand back and leave the effort to others.

In our hectic modern world one can understand why people might opt out but it is vital that they are encouraged to make that commitment to society. The quality of life in Irish society and the ultimate health of our communities, depends on the willingness of people to become involved and active on their own behalf and that of their families, communities and the more vulnerable members of society. In short, a vibrant civic society, which is so essential to a balanced and, ultimately, happy community, requires us to support engagement and to counter disengagement.

Our policies on volunteering must go to the very heart of our vision of how society should develop over the coming years. Unless volunteering can be promoted and strengthened, we run the risk of seeing an increasing number of communities where people do not come together as neighbours, parents and fellow citizens to work together and address common interests and to enjoy each other's company. The ultimate outcome of a policy on volunteering is to inspire people to participate in the development of their communities and, by putting the necessary supports in place, to turn that inspiration into action.

Much progress has been made in recent years in developing the State's thinking on its interface with volunteers and volunteering groups and in providing State support in this area. My Department has had the benefit of a number of reports in this regard. I already mentioned the White Paper on Supporting Voluntary Activity published in September 2000 and the Towards 2016 partnership agreement. Another important document was the 2005 report of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs which recommended the development of the existing volunteering infrastructure and that a functioning volunteering infrastructure was required.

These recommendations translated to a package of measures, amounting to almost €2 million, announced by my Department in March 2005 to support volunteering, which included providing core funding for the then eight local volunteer centres in existence and core funding for Volunteering Centres Ireland as a national organisation to play a proactive central role in facilitating and supporting the development of the network of local volunteer centres.

The task force on active citizenship report also made a number of recommendations, including that my Department fund a network of volunteer centres throughout the country. The Department now provides annual funding of almost €2.5 million to 20 such centres located throughout the country. So far this year, these volunteer centres have registered more than 5,660 volunteers and in excess of 800 volunteer-involving organisations.

It should also be noted that 56% of registered volunteers had never volunteered before and 70% were aged 35 years and under. To date, 2,300 volunteers have been placed by the volunteer centres, which will generate more than 151,000 volunteering hours this year alone. This is the equivalent of 82 full-time workers over a 12-month period.

In addition, the network of volunteer centres is complemented by a range of practical activities to encourage greater active citizenship. Some of these include the young social innovators initiative which involves transition year students at secondary school level from throughout Ireland in identifying social needs and developing strategies to address them, requiring their engagement with local, community and statutory organisations. The key objective is to develop volunteering among young people and grow a cadre of volunteers for the future.

At third level, the DIT community learning programme is an example of a teaching method called service-learning which works by integrating classroom learning in any subject with suitable volunteering activity. The programme has been in development in DIT for a number of years and students have carried out a wide variety of volunteering projects.

Another initiative is a project with Focus Ireland to support the placement of social science graduates within the organisation who wish to gain experience and to develop skills in working with people who are marginalised. Another initiative is support for Boardmatch, an organisation which aims to support the development of the voluntary and community sector in Ireland by strengthening boards of management and management committees of non-profit organisations.

I am pleased to note that this week my Department has entered into a cross-Border volunteering initiative with the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland. The project involves three groups — the GAA, Voluntary Arts Ireland and the Church of Ireland — and the aim of the initiative is to pilot action research into how recruitment of volunteers can be encouraged and also to consider how volunteers recruited within different spheres can provide the catalyst for wider community involvement and the development of active communities.

Through its funding to voluntary and community groups, my Department supports a growing variety of opportunities for citizens to get involved in a task or organisation that appeals to them. I recently attended a number of Give It A Swirl Day events, an initiative promoted by Volunteer Centres Ireland through its members throughout the country, and it is a great example of an innovative approach to encouraging people of all ages and from all walks of life — individuals, families, community groups and businesses — to get involved for just a few hours in a hands-on volunteer project in their local community. The events countrywide included activities such as community clean-ups, tree planting, decorating homes for the elderly and painting murals. Other initiatives assist sporting organisations such as the GAA to develop opportunities for volunteers in local clubs and to engage with other voluntary groups to achieve wider community objectives.

The Government will continue to develop an enabling environment to encourage volunteering and active citizenship. There is an ongoing need to ensure resources are directed in a targeted and effective manner and that we are constantly subjecting our activities to critical appraisal, especially in light of the current economic climate. In that way, we can continue to ensure those we work to assist will receive the maximum benefit. For instance, we are undertaking a review of our support to the volunteer centres throughout the country to ensure our support is focused where it is most needed.

Modern society faces complex problems that cannot be addressed simply by channelling more funds, although funding is important. They require innovative thinking and flexible responses by all the relevant actors at national and local level. However, I believe that this is where the vision, the dedication and the tireless efforts of individuals in the community can make a major difference.

The changed circumstances in which we live today require a sharpening of focus for us all in terms of addressing the nature of the problems which now present themselves. In response to the changing context in which disadvantage is being experienced, my Department is reaffirming the concentration of the focus of its resources on communities where disadvantage and isolation still prevail. Effective support at local and community level is the constant we seek in a rapidly changing society.

There is a huge diversity of organisations within the community and voluntary sector. Their areas of expertise vary. Their target groups, objectives and goals are different. However, there is a commonality in many of their needs. It makes good sense that groups with so much in common should work together to achieve shared ambitions. We must identify ways of promoting cohesion between all organisations, whether community, voluntary or statutory. We look towards the day when all individuals and communities in our society benefit and prosper as they should.