Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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612. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the non-governmental organisations in receipt of funding from his Department; the amount of funding allocated to same in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24375/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was formed in summer 2020.

The funding allocated to my Department, as set down in the annual Estimates, is used to meet costs associated with the provision of further and higher education, labour market initiatives including skills, and Irish research and development. The allocation is provided both directly and through my Department’s aegis bodies to fund: i) the salaries and pensions of public sector workers in the higher education, further education and research sectors, ii) the day to day running costs and capital investment needs of higher and further education institutions, iii) Irish research including through Science Foundation Ireland, iv) skills and labour market initiatives through SOLAS and the National Training Fund, v) the general administration costs of my Department, etc. Funding is also allocated for a range of programmes and initiatives.

In the course of its work my Department makes a significant number of payments. Such payments are made to individuals and organisations both by way of grants and also for the provision of goods and services to it. Some of the recipients of this funding may be non-governmental organisations, however as that label is not necessarily assigned to payees it is not possible to provide an accurate and complete list of such recipients. If the Deputy wishes to provide me with the names of specific non-governmental organisations I will arrange to have the level of funding, if any, paid to them provided to her without delay.

In conclusion, I would point out that the published Estimates for my Department’s Vote provides information regarding expenditure and may be of assistance to the Deputy.