Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 68: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the position regarding the Pobal programme; the number of groups availing of funding; the funding allocated; if he has received an evaluation of the different allocations; if so, if he is satisfied with the progress made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41621/09]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Pobal is a not-for-profit company with charitable status that manages the implementation of Exchequer and EU Funded programmes on behalf of Government Departments, including my own. The following is a breakdown of the number of groups availing of funding provided by my Department and the funding allocated to date in 2009.

* Currently 36 groups operate the RSS on behalf of the Department.

For the sake of completeness, I would like to inform the Deputy that the number of project approvals in the period 2006 to 2009 under the Dormant Accounts Fund was 1,158 with funding allocated of €33.2m. It is expected that programme expenditure on these project approvals will be of the order of €10m in 2009.

In regard to the matter of evaluating its various schemes and programmes, my Department has put in place a range of financial monitoring, performance measurement and systems review mechanisms. These include the carrying out of regular independent audits, VFM reviews, programme evaluations and the measurement of programme and scheme outputs against targets set in the Annual Output Statement. The findings arising from each of these review and evaluation systems are monitored by my Department and acted upon. I should also advise the Deputy that a programme of direct project verification and evaluation is carried out by my Department's dedicated Inspection Services and where concerns arise, these are followed up.

Finally, as the Deputy will be aware, I am committed to meeting on a regular basis the many people, groups and communities across the country that my Department serves. Where issues or concerns are raised with me in relation to schemes and programmes delivered by my Department, or in the context of bodies funded from its Vote, I can assure the Deputy that any such issue or concern is followed up assiduously.