Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the funds given by his Department to the Irish Environmental Network, which can be anything from €700,000 to €1,000,000 per year, is not accountable or made public by the Irish Environmental Network; the action he will take to bring clarity to the use to which the funds are put; if he will consider making the network available for scrutiny under Freedom of Information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4717/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Environmental Network (IEN) is an umbrella organi sation for 32 environmental NGOs in Ireland. It was established as the Environmental (Ecological) NGOs Core Funding Limited in 2001 and trades as the Irish Environmental Network. My Department provides funding to the IEN to help build and maintain the capacity of its member organisations to assist them to contribute effectively to the development and implementation of environmental policy, in line with the public participation requirements of the Aarhus Convention and various EU directives. Funding is also provided, through the IEN, to facilitate the Environmental Pillar's involvement in Social Partnership to ensure that environmental considerations are fully reflected in discussions and policy development at a local, regional and national level. Commencing in late 2012, funding is also being provided through the IEN to facilitate participation in the Environmental Law Implementation Group, which aims to improve the transposition, implementation and enforcement of environmental law through improved communication between policy makers and the Environmental Pillar.

My Department's grant to the IEN is provided from the Environment Fund. The grant amounts for each year are set out in the Fund's Annual Accounts, which are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General; copies of these accounts are available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie.  The IEN is required to file accounts with the Companies Registration Office (CRO), and these are available on www.cro.ie. (Company no. 350 182). The IEN also submits its accounts to my Department each year as a condition of the grant payment. As well as the funding provided by my Department directly to the IEN, individual member organisations receive funding for specific initiatives from my Department and other public bodies; for example, my Department provided funding of €180,000 in 2012 to An Taisce to support the Green Schools programme.

The Programme for Government commits to restoring Freedom of Information (FOI) and to extending its remit to all public bodies as well as to significantly-funded non-public bodies. My colleague, Minister Howlin, is currently progressing FOI proposals and expects to publish the bill in the current session. Following enactment of the bill, in due course, decisions on the significantly-funded non-public bodies to be included will be made in consultation with the relevant Departments and will have regard to the necessity for appropriate public oversight and accountability .

Details of the funding allocation to the IEN for 2012 is set out in the table.