Eric Byrne (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm that he will be in a position to forward funding to the community workers co-operative under the funding scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector. [16754/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 247: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a detailed explanation for the decision by him not to award funding to the community workers co-operative under the scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16174/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the assessment criteria used in assessing applications for funding under the scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector; if the assessment criteria has changed from 2010 to 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16175/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the detail and operation of the marking system used in allocating funding under the scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector; if the marking system has changed from 2010 to 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16176/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the total available funding from him for the scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector in 2011; the organisations which he has, since March 2011, decided to fund; the amounts awarded to each group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16177/11]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 259: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the very negative impact of the decision not to fund the community workers co-operative office in County Galway under the new scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector and if he will ask for an immediate review of the impact of this decision at a time when demands on community and voluntary supports have increased dramatically due to the economic crisis. [16364/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 250, inclusive, and 259 together.

The Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector commenced in 2008. In total, €16 million was allocated to 64 organisations over the three year period 2008-2010. The three-year funding contracts concluded at end 2010. The total available in 2011 is €4m.

A comprehensive review of the scheme was carried out by the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs in 2010. A new Funding Scheme was advertised in December 2010 which set down amended assessment criteria for applications received under the Scheme. These criteria did not change in 2011. 149 applications were received and 63 organisations were approved for funding under the Scheme, of which 46 had been funded under the previous Scheme.

The criteria used to assess applications and the markings under the Scheme were as follows:

Criteria Marks

Extent to which proposal focuses on disadvantage; 20

Deliverables and impact of the Funding; 25

Level of added value within sector; 20

Viability, value for money and governance 20

Level of co-operation/integration/consolidation 15

with similar/allied organisations.

In order to be awarded funding successful applicants had to achieve a qualifying score of at least 60. The total mark achieved by the Community Workers Cooperative did not meet the qualifying score.

The table gives details of the 63 successful applicants. Allocations under the scheme are indicative, as final allocations are subject to approval of business plans. Funding for the scheme beyond 2011 is subject to annual estimates and to the outcome of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure as well as the ongoing monitoring of the scheme.