Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I appreciate that the Minister for Health, Deputy Varadkar, has only been in his current role for several days but this issue has been well ventilated in the press and in these Houses recently. I am speaking specifically about the loss of €88,000 to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association. Under the special scheme for financing national organisations, the association used this money to facilitate a visitor programme. Perhaps it will be able to replace this money from within its own budget but that is not the answer. The bottom line is that it is down €88,000. All of us know the devastating impact of motor neurone disease on anybody who has the misfortune to acquire it. Our colleague, the late Deputy Nicky McFadden, passed away last March as a result of motor neurone disease. I know a number of people who suffer from the disease, as well as several who are no longer with us because of it.

I do not think any fair minded person wants to see a reduction of €88,000 because most people would acknowledge the work that the association does. We need a long-term solution to this problem. The national disability strategy is a good strategy but this cut flies in the face of its implementation. This is a case of the Government governing by the head rather than the heart but there is no logic in the decision because it will have to be rectified. In the long term, I hope that a proper multi-annual approach will be taken.

The Motor Neurone Disease Association exists specifically to support and advocate for people who suffer from motor neurone disease. As it is not going to go away, it has to be supported. Let us put in place a multi-annual programme of funding to support its advocacy, research and visiting work, as well as the assistance it gives to the families of those who suffer from the disease. Approximately 13% of its funding comes from the State, whereas the remaining 87% is raised by volunteers. The taxpayer and the State are getting good for money from its work. I appeal to the Minister to include this issue in his suite of reviews. I understand other organisations, such as the Disability Federation of Ireland, have sought a review. I am on the board of directors of a governing body of another national organisation, the CARA centre in Tralee, which applied for funding under this programme for the first time and was turned down. We need to take a long-term strategic approach based on multi-annual funding so that organisations and their service users are not left in a state of anxiety.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to have an opportunity to address the Seanad on the funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector on behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, who cannot be here.

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. A new scheme commenced from 1 July this year. The overall budget for 2014, including both the previous scheme and the new scheme, is €3.1 million. During 2013, a review of the scheme found that it has fulfilled its main objective of providing multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. The review recommended that organisations be required to demonstrate clearly the added value of the work proposed. The effective use of core funding in recipient organisations also requires that robust governance and cost control procedures are in place in those organisations.

The new scheme was advertised for applications earlier this year. Pobal were asked to undertake an assessment of the applications received, given that organisation's significant experience and expertise of both the design of assessment criteria and completion of assessment functions.

Two well-attended information sessions were hosted by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government, and Pobal during the application process to outline the requirements of the new scheme. Application guidelines were also issued, outlining the scoring process, which included capacity of the organisation, strategic fit, demonstration of need, achievability of the proposal and value for money. Organisations were provided with support in the application process, including a dedicated e-mail address as a preferred contact method to deal promptly with queries, and inquiries were also dealt with by telephone.

Some 157 applications were received by Pobal. Of these, three applications did not meet the basic eligibility criteria. The remaining 154 applications were appraised by Pobal against the criteria as outlined in the application guidance. In order to make funding available to as many organisations as possible within the prevailing resource constraints and taking into consideration the results of the appraisal process, 55 applications were approved for funding for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016. The Irish Motor Neuron Disease Association is not one of the organisations been approved for funding on this occasion as it did not achieve a high enough ranking to be funded within the budget available.

Pobal has put in place a dedicated team to deal with any inquiries from applicants and to provide detailed feedback. There is also an appeals process and Pobal has provided applicants with detailed information on this process. As this appeals process is now live, it would not be appropriate for the Minister, Deputy Kelly, or me on his behalf to make any further comment on the funding process or the application of any particular organisation.

Martin Conway (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his detailed reply. I fully accept that it would not be appropriate to interfere with a live appeals process. I understand that the closing deadline for that appeals process was lunchtime last Friday. I hope the appeals officers in these cases will take a fresh look at the overall context of what has been achieved here and will also look at the track record of organisations that have been refused. We are not talking about much money here, but it has a significant effect on the lives of many of our citizens. Sometimes decisions have to be made that are the right decisions. I hope the appeals process will look favourably on cases that are well made and I believe this case stands on its own two feet.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As this case is under appeal, I am limited in what I can say. From discussing the matter with other people, I understand that the funding it has is in place for the remainder of the year, so there is a window of opportunity there. The decision is made by Pobal which is not under the aegis of my Department but under the aegis of the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government. Of course other factors need to be taken into account. Even an organisation that is doing very good work that might be very well meaning has to have all its accounts in order and all those factors have to be taken into account. As I have said, it is under appeal at the moment and I hope that Pobal will be able to find a solution that will be satisfactory to most people.