Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 368: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if there are plans in place to undertake research into volunteering here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13259/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if there are plans in place to launch a national campaign to promote volunteering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13260/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 371: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to put in place a national strategy on volunteering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13304/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 372: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to give financial incentives to organisations, which can show that they have the proper structures in place for the attraction and retention of volunteers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13305/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 373: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to put in place a national volunteering passport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13306/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 374: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to undertake research into volunteering here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13307/06]

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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Question 375: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to launch a national campaign to promote volunteering; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13308/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 368, 369 and 371 to 375, inclusive, together.

I refer the Deputy to my presentation on volunteers and volunteering to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Arts, Sports, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on 2 March 2005. During the course of that presentation, which was in response to the committee's report on this topic, I provided details of a package of measures to promote, develop and sustain volunteering while a long-term policy and strategy can be developed in consultation with players across the sector.

The measures include developing and expanding volunteering infrastructure at local and community level, promoting volunteering among young people in second and third level, supporting the development of an authoritative code of best practice for volunteering and developing reliable data with regard to volunteering to inform further initiatives. As I indicated in the course of my presentation to the committee, the key principle underpinning my approach is that volunteering finds meaning and expression at local level and that supports and funding should to the greatest extent seek to reflect and respect this reality.

The specific question of developing a volunteering passport will be addressed in the context of developing a long-term strategy for volunteering. Considerable, useful up-to-date information on volunteering already exists at local or bureau level. This was one of the functions assigned to the development officer recruited by Volunteer Centres Ireland in 2005 as part of the funding measures I have mentioned. I understand that Volunteer Centres Ireland has developed a database system in use by all of the member centres, which can produce local and national volunteer statistics. The development officer is also encouraging organisations to create the proper structures for the attraction and retention of volunteers and is developing a tool kit manual on establishing a volunteer centre for use by existing, emerging and new volunteer centres, which is based on international and national best practice.