Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 478: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason conditions attaching to grants for funding for voluntary and community groups for the 2005 programme for locally based community and voluntary organisations have been changed to make payments retrospectively; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that they may cause severe funding and cash flow problems for small organisations in particular; if an assessment has been made on the likely impact of this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23291/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 479: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will revert to the position whereby funding under the programme of grants for locally based community education groups is awarded upfront instead of retrospectively on the basis of vouched expenditure for amounts of €5,000 and over, as at present, details supplied. [21868/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason funding under the programme of grants for locally based community education groups is now to be awarded retrospectively on the basis of vouched expenditure for amounts of €5,000 and over, when locally based community education groups already return receipts for all their expenditure and complete a lengthy application form explaining their structure and organisation. [21869/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 481: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the proposal for retrospective funding for amounts of €5,000 and over under the programme of grants for locally based community education groups would mean that instead of funding community groups, the funding would be awarded towards the interest on loans from financial institutions while loans were outstanding. [21870/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 482: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many groups accessing funding through the programme of grants for locally based community education groups are run by volunteers, details supplied. [21871/05]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the figure of €5,000, as a cut-off point at and beyond which locally based community education groups could only access funding retrospectively, is grossly inadequate to support such groups for any length of time, details supplied. [21872/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 478 to 483, inclusive, together.

The programme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations supports the activities of local voluntary and community groups addressing disadvantage by way of once-off grants. The programme for 2005 consists of two schemes: one makes funds available for the purchase of essential equipment and for small-scale refurbishment of premises. This is complemented by a second scheme to fund education, training and research initiatives in the community.

Grants of up to 90% of the cost are available under this scheme. The maximum grant for refurbishment is €40,000 while €10,000 is the limit in respect of the other scheme elements. The move to retrospective payment of grants in excess of €5,000 is to improve accountability in the expenditure of public funds. It should be borne in mind that amounts incurred below the €5,000 threshold will continue to be paid on the basis of subsequent provision of vouched expenditure. Arrangements are being made under the 2005 scheme to expedite payments within a matter of working days to groups who provide valid evidence of incurring eligible expenditure over €5,000. This arrangement reflects good practice and was an area touched on recently by the Committee of Public Accounts.