Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his plans to encourage and develop volunteering at this time in view of the fact that the need for community support and development was never more vital than at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41639/09]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of funding provided by his Department to volunteering centres over the past three years; if the number of such centres has increased; if he has plans to develop these centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41638/09]

John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 103 together.

My Department funds a network of 21 volunteer centres across the country. The Volunteer Centres are based in the following locations: Carlow, Cork, Drogheda, Donegal, Dublin City North, Dublin City South, Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Limerick City, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Sligo, South Dublin County, South Tipperary, West Limerick, Westmeath, and Wicklow. In 2007 15 volunteer centres were funded by my Department, this increased to 20 in 2008 and 21 in 2009. Over the period 2007-2009, funding of €6.351m has been provided to volunteer centres. My Department also provides core funding for Volunteer Centres Ireland, which acts as a national representative organisation and plays a proactive central role in facilitating and supporting the development of the network of local volunteer centres. I am informed that the numbers of volunteers using these centres has increased dramatically this year. To date in 2009 over 11,813 individuals have registered to volunteer across the network of Volunteer Centres. Of these, in excess of 3,671 individuals have already been placed in volunteering opportunities that will generate more than 308,518 hours of volunteering this year.

Other volunteer activities directly supported by my Department include initiatives such as Young Social Innovators, which provides social awareness education for 15-18 year olds in Ireland, Focus Ireland To support the placement of social science graduates who wish to gain experience and to develop skills in working with people who are marginalized and Boardmatch, an organisation which aims to support the development of the voluntary and community sector in Ireland by strengthening boards of management and management committees of non-profit organisations. Community and voluntary groups can find support from my Department across a range of programmes covering social inclusion, community and rural development, the Irish Language and Gaeltacht. If the Deputy wishes specific further information on these I will be happy to oblige.