Written answers
Tuesday, 15 October 2019
Department of Education and Skills
Departmental Funding
Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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237. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding historically provided to an organisation (details supplied) through the Skillnet stream of funding; the way in which this funding is monitored in order to ensure it is used appropriately; if audits are conducted on bodies in receipt of this stream of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42236/19]
John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Skillnet Ireland has funded the Restaurant and Hospitality Skillnet of which the contracting and promoting organisation is the Restaurants Association of Ireland. Skillnet Ireland do not fund the Restaurant Association of Ireland directly. The Skillnet was established in 2017 in response to acute skills shortages within the sector, as highlighted within the EGFSN Report “Assessment of the Future Skills Needs within the Hospitality Sector 2015-2020”.
The organisation has received the following amounts of grant funding in the years 2017 to 2019:
| Year | Amount of Grant Paid € |
|---|---|
| 2017 | 48,000 |
| 2018 | 63,659 |
| 2019* | 107,450 |
| Total | 219,109 |
*2019 to date: 10thOctober 2019
Skillnet Ireland have confirmed that a Compliance Review of the Restaurant and Hospitality Skillnet was conducted in October 2018. This review provides assurances regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of the financial and governance related controls in place and forms an assessment on the operating model of the Skillnet. Skillnet Ireland are currently scheduling the next Compliance Review of this Skillnet.
Each Skillnet is obliged to commission an annual Independent Accountant’s Report which confirms that the Skillnet is of sound financial standing and provides additional assurances on compliance with specified conditions in the Skillnet Ireland Operating Framework.
Grant payments are made to each Skillnet on a staged basis throughout the annual funding cycle and are subject to grant payment reviews conducted by Skillnet Ireland. The review process includes analysis of training delivery targets and a risk assessment of each Skillnet.
An independent evaluation of Skillnet funded programmes is also undertaken on an annual basis. The independent evaluation addresses the following thematic areas:
- Consistency with Government Policy;
- Impact on Participating Businesses;
- Impact on Learners; and
- Effectiveness and Efficiency.
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