Written answers

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Funding

Photo of Seán HaugheySeán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail)
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234. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a community drugs rehabilitation and educational service (details supplied) is the subject of a funding for mainstream project review; if he will ensure that this service continues to receive funding in the interim; the length of time it will take to complete the review; his views on ensuring that this vital service continues into 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42206/19]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Circular 13/2014 published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds outlines the public financial management principles, procedures, and additional reporting requirements that must be followed in the governance of grant funding as well as compliance with all public financial procedures and legislation.

The overall principle is that there should be transparency and accountability in the management of public money in line with economy, efficiency and effectiveness. To ensure compliance with these requirements, as grantor, my Department must ensure that it has an effective grant-funding supervision regime in place for all of the grants it administers to inform evidence based decision making and to ensure it achieves best value for money in the use of public moneys.

For over 20 years my Department, has provided funding to this organisation towards the day to day expenses of the community based drug rehabilitation project. The grant allocation is approved on an annual basis with the conditions of funding set out in the annual allocation letter which includes full compliance with the provisions of Circular 13/2014. In line with its obligations as grantor, my Department carried out a review of funding of the project in 2011 and has since then provided over €1.2 million in funding for the project.

In correspondence to the organisation in August this year, my Department advised that it was planning a review of funding of the project. Review of the grant to this organisation, which commenced last month, is one of a number of grants under similar review. The organisation has been advised that they will be kept informed on progress throughout the review. The findings and recommendations from the review, which will take into account the impact of its recommendations on service users, will be conveyed to the organisation in due course.

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