Written answers

Tuesday, 15 November 2005

Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform

Departmental Agencies

9:00 pm

Photo of Michael LowryMichael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the grant programmes available from his Department and from agencies under his responsibility; and the deadlines of each programme. [33922/05]

Photo of Michael McDowellMichael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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The information requested by the Deputy follows under a number of broad headings. My Department, through the probation and welfare service, currently provides funding to 69 voluntary bodies which provide a range of services to offenders in local communities. These services include pre-industrial training and education, offender management programmes, residential accommodation, drug and alcohol abuse programmes, work with offenders in custody and post release as well as providing vital elements of a focused day time programme for those found guilty of criminal offences by the courts and placed on supervision to the probation and welfare service. While there is no deadline for the provision of funding to such programmes, funding is only granted on receipt of a favourable recommendation from the probation and welfare service management which, following an appraisal of an application, is satisfied that the service being offered will be of specific benefit to the probation and welfare service client group.

The budget allocation for assistance to voluntary bodies for the current year is €14.434 million. In May 2005 my Department publicly advertised the first round of a five year funding programme for enhancing disability services project funding. Applications were invited from voluntary organisations providing services for people with disability for project funding for the period 2005-06. The closing date for the receipt of applications was 15 July 2005. The National Disability Authority is an independent statutory agency established under the aegis of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and currently runs a research promotion scheme. This is an annual grant scheme and has a closing date of 21 September. My Department is also administering a small grant scheme this year, relating to the provision of accessible transport to people with disabilities. The closing date for receipt of applications is 9 December 2005.

The current seven year Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme 2000-06, which is implemented by my Department, facilitates the further development and expansion of child care facilities to address the needs of parents, in reconciling their child care needs with their participating in employment, education and training. There is no deadline for receipt of applications.

The EOCP was established as an element of the National Development Plan 2000-2006 to increase the supply of child care capital grant assistance to create new and quality enhanced child care places, to support the child care needs of parents in employment, education and training through the provision of capital grant assistance; to make grant assistance available towards the staffing costs of child care services in very disadvantaged areas to enable these services to make child care available at less than full fees for parents experiencing disadvantage; and to enhance the quality and co-ordination of delivery of child care in Ireland. In addition, child minding grants are available to assist childminders providing child care services from their homes. Applications for grant assistance under the EOCP are being accepted on a rolling basis. The current programme is due to run until the end of 2006.

My Department is also responsible for the equality for women measure of the National Development Plan 2000-2006, which is designed to promote pilot initiatives aimed at improving the economic, social, cultural and political lives of women. In August 2004, my Department issued a second call for proposals. This second phase specifically targets economically disadvantaged women living in RAPID, revitalising areas by planning, investment and development, areas. The closing date for receipt of proposals under the second phase was the 15 October 2004. Following a thorough appraisal of all applications funding of approximately €7 million was approved to 58 projects over the period June 2005 to March 2007. Any future calls under the measure will be announced in the press.

Grant funding is available to voluntary organisations, subject to an evaluation process, from my Department's violence against women budget for awareness raising, intervention or preventative measures which fall within the Department's scope of responsibility in this area. No deadlines are set for applications but the availability of funding in any given year is of course subject to the annual budget provided.

There is a small grants scheme in place to assist asylum seekers and refugee support groups. A maximum of €6,000 per project is allowed. To date in 2005, €146,000 has been allocated. The deadline for receipt of projects was 31 May 2005 but was extended subject to funding availability and special initiatives. Projects funded ranged from reception functions, such as formal and informal welcome meetings, to art classes, day trips to local places of interest, sports activities, inter-cultural food fairs, events to mark national festivals, fashion shows, music sessions and involvement in local voluntary organisations. There is also a grant programme in operation which is funded by the European refugee fund for reception, integration and voluntary return measures undertaken by NGOs. The annual allocation amounts to almost €1,000,000. There is no maximum funding per project but 15 to 20 projects are usually awarded grants. The deadline for funding applications is 25 November 2005.

In June 2005, I launched the community based CCTV scheme. This scheme has been developed in response to a demonstrated demand from local communities across Ireland for the provision of CCTV systems. The scheme is designed to provide financial assistance to qualifying local organisations, towards meeting the capital costs associated with the establishment of local community CCTV systems. Communities that are not ready to apply for full scheme funding could apply for pre-development supports to assist in the formulation of high quality proposals which will have the necessary elements of local support and sustainability.

The closing date for receipt of applications was 20 September 2005 and the scheme is being administered on behalf of my Department by area development management Limited. I am informed by ADM that a total of 83 applications for funding under the community based CCTV scheme — 51 under stage 1 and 32 under stage 2 — were received by the closing date. The process of evaluation and assessment of applications is under way and recommendations will be made by ADM, to my Department's community based CCTV project board in due course. It is intended to invite a new round of applications for funding under the scheme early next year. The commission for the support of victims of crime has a budget of €750,000 for 2005. The commission is charged with the disbursement of funding for victim support and assistance measures. The commission received over 60 applications for funding following a national advertising campaign and formal application process during March and April 2005. The closing date for applications was in April 2005.

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