Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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99. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the community services programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36872/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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100. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the terms of the community services programme contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36879/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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102. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter regarding a community service programme (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36892/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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103. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection the way a charitable organisation (details supplied) can displace private bus operators who pay their taxes and generate employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36893/15]

Kevin Humphreys (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 100, 102 and 103 together.

The company referred to by the Deputy operates a community-owned social enterprise delivering transport and related services in County Kerry. From the information available to me, the company provides good quality employment to 19 people with seven and a half of the positions being co-funded by the Community Services Programme (CSP) for the provision of accessible community transport services in north and east Kerry. The company also provides services part-funded under other programmes. The range of services provided include a social car scheme and transport to access clinic and hospital appointments as well as rural, elderly, disability and wheelchair services to isolated areas of the county. The CSP contributes towards the cost of employing a manager, office administrator, vehicle supervisor, six drivers who also act as personal assistants to aid users and two personal assistants. The CSP commitment is of the order of €174,700 annually to the company.

The Department and Pobal, which operates the CSP contractual arrangements on behalf of the Department, have received assurances from the company that it has adhered to the terms of the CSP contract in pursuing other opportunities of a public and commercial nature. The company operates along social enterprise lines and the CSP contract is for the delivery of specified transport and related services of a social inclusion nature that could not be provided other than with a public subsidy. The Department cannot constrain the company from seeking to deliver other services which are funded outside of the CSP contract, nor can it restrict it participating in tender competitions offered under the terms of national and EU procurement procedures.

The Department has been assured by the company that it intends to continue to deliver the existing range of services for which it receives a contribution under the CSP and which are separate from any other service that it provides. Furthermore, the company provided confirmation that there was no element of cross-subsidisation in any tender proposal which they made in recent months. It is a matter entirely for the contracting agency to ensure that issues of cross-subsidisation are considered in the award of tenders and contracts.

Overall, it is important to point out that the company operates independently of the Department in the organisation and delivery of its activities. I understand that the annual financial statements of the company are publicly available and filed annually with the Company Registration Office. These statements can be accessed at that office or by contacting the company directly for a copy.