Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 238: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the moneys paid in respect of a programme (details supplied) in each of the past ten years; if annual reports have been furnished in respect of the programme; if he has satisfied himself in relation to these reports; if buildings are owned by his Department where the programme is centred; if not, the person who is the landlord; the extent of such buildings or other assets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39686/05]

Séamus Brennan (Dublin South, Fianna Fail)
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I understand the Deputy's question refers to the Safe Home programme which is based in Mulranny, County Mayo. The Safe Home programme is core funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, through the DION fund and the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. The main objective of the Safe Home programme is to help elderly Irish emigrants wishing to return to Ireland to live but lacking the resources to do so. My Department's role in funding this programme is solely in respect of information dissemination to emigrants.

Over the period 2001 to 2005 my Department has provided grants to the programme to assist with the provision of good quality comprehensive information for Irish emigrants living abroad who wish to return to Ireland. In 2001, we provided a grant of £6,100 for the publication and distribution of a newsletter to Irish advice centres in the UK and to applicants on the Safe Home programme waiting list. Funding of €15,000 was provided in each of the years 2002, 2003 and 2004 towards the cost of the production and distribution of a monthly newsletter for emigrants abroad, advertising the services provided by the Safe Home programme in the Irish Post and the Irish World and the maintenance of the Safe Home website. In 2005 the allocation to the Safe Home programme from my Department was increased to €80,000 in line with the report of the task force report on policy regarding emigrants, which recommended increased funding for voluntary organisations involved in the provision of information services to Irish emigrants.

My Department has received regular reports about the activities of the Safe Home programme and confirmation has been received that the grants provided have been used for the purposes for which they were intended. My Department does not own the premises in which the Safe Home programme is located nor has it provided funding towards the rental or acquisition of premises or other assets by this voluntary organisation.