David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This concerns funding for the Waterford City Community Forum and the need for the funding not only to be ring-fenced but to return to 2010 levels. The Waterford City Community Forum is one of a number of fora across the State providing a valuable service in bringing together a range of community and voluntary organisations. It is an umbrella organisation with links to Waterford City Council that ensures proper networking and sharing of information between various community and voluntary bodies, State bodies, public representatives and members of the community. At a time when communities are suffering because of cutbacks, the community and voluntary sector is being asked to step into the breach and provide services previously provided by local authorities or State agencies. It is important these organisations and community fora are supported. I can vouch for the Waterford City Community Forum. One of the strengths of the community forum is that the people elected from constituent organisations, of which there are 220 in Waterford, use their representatives to sit on a range of State positions. This includes strategic policy committees, joint policing committees and others. These fora members provide a vocal and necessary community voice for those representing the community and voluntary sector.

The Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government supplied figures in respect of Waterford. The Waterford City Community Forum received ¤25,925 in 2008, which was reduced to ¤24,344 in 2009 and to ¤21,522 in 2010. In 2011, it was halved to ¤11,696 and in 2012 it will amount to ¤11,213. Following that pattering for the next five years, the forum will end up giving the State money. It is important funding is returned to a realistic level to enable the forum to have a worker doing the necessary work of providing information sharing, dissemination of information, organising meetings and overseeing an important structure. I hope the Minister of State agrees. I impress upon the Minister of State the importance of funding these fora. I can only vouch for the Waterford City Community Forum, which I am familiar with and which has done fantastic work. In view of the proposed amalgamation of Waterford city and county councils, there is concern about how the forum will continue to be funded. During discussions about the merger, the concerns of the Waterford City Community Forum should not be lost. I have concerns about the merger, which may be outside my control, but I hope the voice of the Waterford City Community Forum is heard and that the issues are dealt with.