Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 348: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the recommendations of the Task Force on Active Citizenship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11458/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Progressing the recommendations of the Taskforce on Active Citizenship is a matter for several Departments as well as my own. I am pleased that a number of the recommendations have been advanced to date, including the following:

Audits of existing community facilities have been completed and appropriate arrangements are being made by local authorities to make the results of the audits available at local level. The main purpose of the audits was to establish the current level of provision so that, in the event of future public funding for community facilities, any applications for such financing support would take account of the results of the audit in terms of identifying needs in specific geographic areas.

The Taskforce recommended the strengthening of local civic participation, which informed the preparation of the Green Paper on Local Government: Stronger Local Democracy - Options for Change. While work was subsequently advanced on a White Paper on Local Government last year, I will be further developing this theme in the context of local government policy development this year.

The Department of Education and Skills has encouraged schools to make their premises available for community use. In addition, a scheme is currently funded under the Dormant Accounts (Educational Disadvantage Fund) to enable DEIS Band 1 schools in Limerick City to open after school hours to maximise community use of school premises and facilities. All of the DEIS Band 1 schools in Limerick City, a total of 22 schools (16 primary and 6 post primary), are participating in this scheme. There are approximately 200 after-school activities running in all 22 schools.

At second level senior cycle, the NCCA (National Council for Curriculum Assessment) is developing a syllabus for a full optional exam subject called 'Politics and Society' as an extension of the current Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) subject in Junior Cycle, which currently gives students practical experience of active citizenship.

In relation to the adult education sector, the range of Further and Adult Education programmes are geared towards enabling participants to contribute more fully to the social, cultural and economic life of this country, through education and information courses.

Active Citizenship was a key theme of the Social Inclusion Week arranged by local authorities late in 2010 as part of the Irish National Programme of activities supporting the EU Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion 2010.

My Department is playing a full and active role in promoting the European Year of Volunteering 2011, in conjunction with the national coordinating body for the Year, Volunteering Ireland. Central to the Year is the whole concept of Active Citizenship, of which volunteering is just one part.