Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 20: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if her Department provides multi-annual funding to community or voluntary sector organisations; and if so, the organisations receiving this funding since 2006 to date in 2009. [14479/09]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The only Voluntary or Community organisations which receive funding directly from my Department are the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed (the INOU) and "The Wheel" (a national support and representative network for the Community and Voluntary Sector). The amount of funding each received from 2006 to date is as follows.

The Deputy might also wish to be aware that while FÁS, an Agency which comes under the remit of my Department, does not provide "direct multi-annual funding" to Community and Voluntary Organisations, it does provide funding for community based employment and training programmes to make learning accessible in local areas. Such programmes are organised in conjunction with community, voluntary and public organisations. In this way, local organisations help to develop their area by sponsoring programmes, typically in the areas of social services, healthcare, heritage, arts, culture, tourism, sport, environment and education.

In 2008, over 30,000 people benefited through training and work-experience programmes, with approximately 1,400 voluntary and community sponsors involved. Each of the sponsor groups are contracted on an annual basis taking into account the overall budget available, sponsors business plans, any past history of the project including progression and certification. The project work must respond to an identified community need and offer valuable work experience to the project workers. Local Partnership Area groups would also be involved in this process.