Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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1143. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if funding (details supplied) that has been allocated has been drawn down and spent; if there has been a follow-up or appraisal of the funding given under the various programmes or headings; if any of the allocated funding has been recouped or unspent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20390/22]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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Payments are made to Mayo County council across a number of programme areas in the Department of Children Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth directly from the Department and through Pobal.

The tables below sets out in summary detail the funding provided to Mayo County Council by or on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) for the period from 1 January 2017 to date.

DCEDIY Payments 

In relation to the Irish Refugee Protection Programme (IRPP) payments,  while part of the Department of Justice, IRPP and Mayo County Council signed a Direct Award 2 Grant Agreement (and change requests) for a grant totalling €289,039 in respect of Mayo Resettlement Programme. Of this total allocation, there have been payments made to Mayo County Council totalling €267,562. However, only €105,096 (€69,369 and €35,727) of these payments have been made while IRPP has been part of DCEDIY (the remaining payments totalling €162,466 were paid from the Department of Justice). To note, of the €267,572 payments made by IRPP to Mayo County Council for the DA2 Mayo Resettlement Project, €126,976 has been recouped under AMIF.

In relation to the  Disability Participation and Awareness  Fund, this Fund was administered by the Department on behalf of the Department of Health in 2021 in advance of the transfer of Disability Services from Department of Health to DCEDIY.

Pobal Payments 

The table of Pobal payments below sets out the budgets, decommittals, payments and reported spend per programme, per year for Mayo County Council, from 1^stJanuary 2017 to date. 

Mayo County Childcare Committee is under the governance of Mayo County Council and operates under a Memorandum of Agreement with the Council - Mayo CCC is supported in its work by their Board of Management Committee. In that context, and for the purposes of Pobal’s appraisal of the annual CCC Local Implementation Plan, the submission of Annual Financial Statements, Memorandum & Articles of Association and Reserves Policies are not required. The Memo of Agreement and LIP confirms that the Project Management Group (PMG) is responsible for the financial management of Mayo CCC. A presentation of the budget is made at each Project Management Group and also to the full Board of Management Committee. All financial records are kept on Mayo County Council financial system. Spending is overseen and approved by the Mayo CCC Coordinator in accordance with Mayo County Council financial procedures and controls.

Pobal have indicated that Mayo CCC has a good track record in delivery of their Local Implementation Plan and have worked well with Pobal in the past with regard to response to requests for information and case management, compliance and verification processes.

Pobal have advised my Department that all reporting requirements are up to date in regard to these programmes.

Comhairle na nÓg

The Comhairle na nÓg Development Fund is designed to assist local authorities to support the development of Comhairle na nÓg. The fund allocates up to €20,000 funding annual to each local authority, local authorities in the city/county may provide funding and resources for CNN at a local level. Pobal administer the CNN in collaboration with my Department – managing the transfer of payment, annual reporting and funding request process, hosting an online portal to support the administration process and conducting a number of annual verification visits to ensure the administration and expenditure of funding is in accordance with the fund criteria.

My Department manage all Exchequer funding either directly or through Pobal in line with public accounting financial principles, procedures and control framework including the Public Spending Code.

Payments to Mayo County Council By Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

Payments by DCEDIY to Mayo County Council

Payments to Mayo County Council through Pobal