Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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Question 53: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he is satisfied with the level of voluntarism here and his plans to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18938/10]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I can assure the Deputy that the Government continues to advance a range of measures that support voluntarism, in line with the recommendations of the Task Force on Active Citizenship.

This year my Department will provide funding of over €2.5m to 22 volunteer centres around the country. Two of these centres – in Clare and Longford - are being funded for the first time. In 2009, these centres registered over 13,000 volunteers and over 870 volunteer-involving organisations. This represent an increase of over 70% on the numbers registered in 2008. It is also worth noting that 61% of registered volunteers had never volunteered before and 69% were aged 35 years and under. My Department also provides core funding for Volunteering Centres Ireland, which plays a central role in facilitating and supporting the development of the network of local volunteer centres.

In addition, other activities being supported include:

· a cross-border volunteering initiative launched last year involving the GAA, Voluntary Arts Ireland and the Church of Ireland, which seeks to benefit the community on both sides of the border, especially marginalised and disadvantaged groups, through a strong network of local volunteers;

· the Young Social Innovators Initiative, which involves transition year students identifying social needs and developing strategies to address them through engagement with local, community and statutory organisations;

· funding for Focus Ireland to support the placement of social science graduates, within the organisation, who wish to gain experience and to develop skills in working with people who are marginalised; and

· support for 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.

The Deputy will be aware that 2011 has been designated as the European Year of Volunteering, with the overall purpose of encouraging and supporting - notably through the exchange of experience and good practices - efforts to create the conditions for civil society conducive to volunteering in the EU and to increase the visibility of voluntary activities.

My Department will be supporting the European Year and has appointed Volunteering Ireland (VI) as the national co-ordinator with responsibility for Ireland's participation in the initiative. VI is in the process of establishing a steering committee of relevant organisations from the community and voluntary sector, as well as State representatives. In carrying out its duties, VI will be required to closely consult and co-operate with a wide range of relevant stakeholders within civil society and, where appropriate, the national agencies or contact points of relevant community programmes.