Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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467. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the person who was responsible for deciding which projects received funding under the dormant accounts action plan 2014; if there was an application procedure for interested bodies; if the application process was advertised; if projects were selected by civil servants; if so, under what criteria; if he will provide those criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30766/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The primary purpose of the Dormant Accounts legislation is to re-unite the original account holders with their moneys, including all interest due. In addition, the legislation also provides that disbursements from the Fund may be made for purposes of community benefit. The Dormant Accounts Acts 2001 to 2012 provide that funds may be disbursed for the purposes of assisting the personal and social development of persons who are economically disadvantaged, the educational development of persons who are educationally disadvantaged and persons with a disability.

A new Disbursement Scheme was prepared, in accordance with the 2012 Act, after consultation with various Ministers, including the Minister for Health, the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Social Protection. The Scheme was approved by Government in December 2013 and was laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 18 December 2013.

The 2012 Act also provides for the preparation of an Action Plan each year to give effect to the Scheme. My Department carried out a consultation process with the Minister for Health, the Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Social Protection and other Ministers as appropriate in relation to the Action Plan. Following completion of the consultation process, my predecessor adopted a new Dormant Accounts Action Plan for 2014 that will provide diverse supports for disadvantaged communities, including measures to promote youth employment, employability and entrepreneurship, training for carers and support for people with disabilities. Measures under my Department will be administered by Pobal and applications will be invited later this year. €5.456 million for Dormant Accounts Measures is provided in my Department’s Estimates in 2014, which includes €2 million to be used to support labour force activation measures in local authorities.

Further data in relation to the Dormant Accounts Fund are available on my Department’s website at