Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 272: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if a school (details supplied) in County Mayo is eligible to apply for funds under the dormant accounts fund scheme; if he will take into account that this is a registered charity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7304/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that disbursements from the dormant accounts fund are designed to assist three broad categories of persons, those who are socially or economically disadvantaged, those who are educationally disadvantaged and persons with a disability. The Government has approved the allocation of €60 million from the dormant accounts fund in 2006, of which €24 million will be allocated towards projects tackling economic and social disadvantage, €18 million towards projects tackling educational disadvantage and €18 million towards projects assisting persons with a disability.

After consulting with the appropriate Ministers and having obtained the approval of Government, I announced details on 4 January 2006 concerning the allocation of €24 million in 2006 for the purpose of supporting programmes and types of projects tackling social and economic disadvantage. Details of the announcement are available on the website of my Department at www.pobail.ie.

With regard to the educational disadvantage category the consultation process required under the legislation is not yet completed. It is anticipated that a further announcement will be made shortly in relation to the allocation of the €18 million already referred to above when work ongoing in the Department of Education and Science is completed.

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 273: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if it intended to introduce new rules governing the disbursement of moneys from the dormant accounts fund; if so, when such new rules will be introduced; the consultations planned on such rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7423/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, decisions on the disbursement of dormant accounts funds were previously a matter for the dormant accounts fund disbursements board which was established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. On 1 September 2005, the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005 came into force, which provides for significant changes to the disbursement of funds from dormant accounts and for a reconstituted board.

Under this new legislation, the Minister is required to consult with appropriate Ministers for the purpose of developing a proposal for submission to Government for approval. This proposal will include the programmes and types of projects concerning which applications for disbursements will be invited, as well as the criteria to be applied in assessing applications made in response to the invitation.

On 4 January, having consulted with the appropriate Ministers and having obtained the approval of Government, I announced details of the allocation of €24 million this year for the purpose of supporting programmes and types of projects tackling social and economic disadvantage.

Under these new arrangements, applications will be received and assessed against published criteria by or on behalf of public bodies and the results of such assessments submitted to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The Minister will then submit the results of the assessments to the Government for approval.

Further announcements will be made shortly on funding for educational disadvantage and persons with a disability when ongoing work in the Department of Education and Science and the Department of Health and Children is completed and specific measures are submitted to Government for consideration.