Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he has had further contacts with the Community Workers Co-operative since he last answered questions in Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16650/05]

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will reconsider the decision to withdraw funding for the Community Workers Co-operative in County Kildare and elsewhere. [16535/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 50 together.

I have already dealt comprehensively with this issue in the House. I refer the Deputies, in particular, to my replies to Questions Nos. 4 and 5 of 22 February 2005, 360 and 367 of 22 March 2005 and 24, 27 and 37 of 14 April 2005. As I indicated in these replies, since the decision to discontinue funding under the national anti-poverty networks programme was communicated to the Community Workers Co-operative on 17 December 2004, my Department has facilitated the organisation by holding a series of separate meetings with its representatives.

As I have previously stated, I am fully satisfied that the Community Workers Co-operative has been afforded exhaustive access to appeal the decision. The group has not demonstrated a basis for reversing my decision at any of these meetings. Since the previous occasion on which I answered questions in the house on this matter correspondence has taken place at official level between my Department and the Community Workers Co-operative.