Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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152. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a report on the work of the high level forum on the community and voluntary sector which is led by his Department; the names of those on the forum; the number of times the forum has met; and the specific issues the forum is currently working on. [31073/17]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Community Sector High Level Forum was reconvened in 2015 since when it has met four times. Previously approved meeting minutes are publicly available on my Department's website and contain the names of the participants on the Forum. 

The Forum is tasked with providing for the exchange of views on a range of issues relating to the sector and is currently considering the specific matter of pension provision for Community Employment scheme supervisors.  A detailed scoping exercise is currently underway on this matter and will be concluded later this year.

The position has always been that FÁS or the Department of Social Protection is not the employer and that it is not possible for the State to provide funding for such a scheme to employees of private companies even if those companies are, or were, reliant on State funding.  In considering the matter, I must have regard to costs and the precedent of such an arrangement were one to be created.