Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 305: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views in regard to correspondence (details supplied); the Government's plans to address the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7565/05]

Tony Gregory (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 308: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his response to the request for funding from a group (details supplied) in Dublin 7; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7772/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 305 and 308 together.

I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 176 of 2 March 2005. As indicated in that reply, it is intended that the group concerned will receive approximately €146,000 in support from my Department in 2005. At a recent meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I announced a range of measures to strengthen and support volunteering. These measures include a commitment to continue this level of funding to the group concerned for three years and to provide funding to the other volunteer bureaux that make up the Volunteer Centres Ireland network.

The measures that I am initiating include support on a pilot basis for three years, for the young social innovators initiative, which is to receive €200,000 per annum, and the DIT community learning programme, which is to receive €110,000 per annum. These measures are designed to promote and encourage volunteering among second and third level students respectively. I am also formalising the role of the existing network of local and community development groups in supporting volunteers and volunteering. To this end, €500,000 of local area partnership funding is being ring-fenced for measures that encourage volunteers and volunteering. As mentioned already, the existing volunteer bureaux, including the group referred to in the Deputy's question, which are members of Volunteer Centres Ireland will receive funding of €578,000 per annum for the next three years. In addition, I am making €50,000 per annum available for three years to enable Volunteer Centres Ireland to engage a development officer.

I am also ring-fencing €500,000 of the Department's cohesion fund for measures that will promote volunteers and volunteering locally. Under this arrangement, proposals will be co-ordinated by city and county development boards. I believe these measures will strengthen and promote volunteering and create the time and space to develop a comprehensive national policy in consultation with communities and players in the sector. I have no plans to provide additional funding to the group in question beyond the package I have outlined.