Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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211. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that the scheme to support national organisations in the community and voluntary sector will receive adequate funding to allow long-term planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27774/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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The funding Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. Applications for a new round of funding, which commenced on 1 July 2014, were subject to an appraisal process.  55 applications were approved for funding totalling approximately €8million for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016. A number of previously funded organisations were not approved for funding on that occasion.

On 18 July 2014, it was announced that bridging funding of €1.4million would be allocated for a twelve month period to thirty-two previously funded health, disability and other organisations that were not approved for funding under the new scheme, pending the carrying out of a review of the public funding of national organisations in the health and disability sector.

On 25 May 2015, I announced that funding will be provided from 1 July this year to 30 June 2016, following a review in relation to the impact of the cessation of their current funding on 30 June 2015. This funding is being provided to thirty of the thirty-two organisations previously in receipt of bridging funding, including all health and disability organisations. This further support will be based on current levels of funding to the organisations in question and is being provided through a Developmental Scheme to Support National Organisations (DSSNO). The funding, totalling €1.32 million, to be provided to each organisation is set out in the table below, and each organisation is allocated the same amount of funding over the 12 months from 1 July 2015 under DSSNO as provided in the 12 months to 30 June 2015 under bridging funding.

It is envisaged that the new Scheme to Support National Organisations will be advertised in early 2016 and groups funded under the 2014-2016 Scheme to Support National Organisations and the recently announced Developmental Scheme to Support National Organisations will be required to apply for funding under the single SSNO Scheme and meet the criteria required for funding.