Written answers
Tuesday, 14 November 2023
Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
Youth Services
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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446. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth further to Parliamentary Question No. 63 of 7 November 2023, how much Exchequer funding has been given to an organisation (details supplied) for each of the years 2020 to 2022 and to date in 2023. [49761/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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To avoid identifying the organisation in question, my Department will write directly to the Deputy with this information.
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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447. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that an organisation’s auditors (details supplied) are a named firm, tasked with preparing the financial report of the organisation; if his Department is aware that the organisation has requested another firm to assist it in preparing its report; and if his Department has asked the organisation why the second opinion is needed of a major accountancy firm. [49762/23]
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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448. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in the course of his Department’s discussions with an organisation (details supplied), has his Department has been made aware that no AGM has taken place for the purposes of approving its annual report and financial statements; the reason this meeting has not taken place; and the reason that figures have been provided to the CRA in the absence of statements being provided to members to approve. [49763/23]
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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450. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that the full board of an organisation (details supplied) has not signed off the final accounts. [49765/23]
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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453. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that certain directors of an organisation (details supplied) have refused to sign off on its annual report as they believe it not to be a going concern; and the reason this has not been disclosed to the members of the organisation. [49768/23]
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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454. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) informed its members on Monday, 28 August 2023, that it was postponing its AGM due to a “delay in the audit process”; if his Department is aware of the reason for this delay; and if so, if he will identify the reason. [49769/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 447, 448, 450, 453 and 454 together.
The organisation referred to by the Deputy is a voluntary body, governed by its own Board. It receives some of its funding from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and raises other funding through member subscriptions and fund raising.
My Department provides funding to this organisation primarily through the Youth Service Grant (YSGS) Scheme. The Youth Service Grant Scheme has governance controls in place to ensure the appropriate use of public monies. Funding to this organisation is made available on the basis of an application process. This application process involves the outlining of specific deliverables related to the provision of services, and funds allocated to any organisation must be accounted for within specific budgetary streams related to these deliverables.
The organisation's selection of auditor and finalisation of accounts is a matter for their Board.
Officials in my Department have recently met with a number of senior managers and board members of the organisation to discuss the submission of the annual report, the holding of the AGM and other governance issues.
I understand that this organisation will submit audited financial reports in the coming weeks, and that an AGM will be called following consideration by the board has signed of the financial reports.
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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449. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if his Department has received a draft or full annual report of an organisation (details supplied). [49764/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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My Department has not yet received the 2022 annual report from the organisation in question.
Officials in my Department have been in regular contact with the organisation regarding the submission of the annual report, and held a meeting on 13 November 2023 with a number of senior managers and board members of the organisation to discuss this and other governance issues.
I understand that this organisation will submit audited financial reports in the coming weeks. The organisation is aware that any significant delay in submission of the audit financial reports could result in delayed funding from my Department.
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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451. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) confirmed in August 2023 that a director of the organisation has been suspended; if so, the reason they were suspended; if his Department has been told why they have been suspended; and if his Department advised the organisation that the director should step down. [49766/23]
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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452. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth who provided legal advice on the suspension of the director of an organisation (details supplied). [49767/23]
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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457. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that an organisation (details supplied) has had an interim chief executive since June 2022 while its chief executive is on sick leave; and if his Department can outline how long the organisation will have two chief executives without appointing a new chief executive. [49772/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 451, 452 and 457 together.
The organisation referred to by the Deputy is a voluntary body, governed by its own Board. It receives some of its funding from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and raises other funding through member subscriptions and fund raising.
My Department provides funding to this organisation primarily through the Youth Service Grant Scheme. The Youth Service Grant Scheme has governance controls in place to ensure the appropriate use of public monies. Funding to this organisation is made available on the basis of an application process. This application process involves the outlining of specific deliverables related to the provision of services, and funds allocated to any organisation must be accounted for within specific budgetary streams related to these deliverables.
The organisation's recruitment processes, for both staff and directors, are a matter for their Board.
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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455. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware that there were 52 cases lodged in relation to the alleged abuse within an organisation (details supplied) in the High Court as of February 2023 in Ireland, and an additional case facing ,he will confirm how many more cases have arisen, either in the Republic or the North, since February 2023; and if his Department has asked the organisation for a list of its assets and their value in order to estimate how it can cover the costs of all of these cases. [49770/23]
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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456. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he is aware of assets owned by an organisation (details supplied) being transferred into trusts; and if his Department is concerned that the movement of assets could be seen as an attempt by the organisation to put some of its assets outside the reach of victims of child abuse. [49771/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 455 and 456 together.
The organisation referred to by the Deputy is a voluntary body, governed by its own Board. It receives some of its funding from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and raises other funding through member subscriptions and fund raising.
My Department provides funding to this organisation primarily through the Youth Service Grant Scheme. The Youth Service Grant Scheme has governance controls in place to ensure the appropriate use of public monies. Funding to this organisation is made available on the basis of an application process. This application process involves the outlining of specific deliverables related to the provision of services, and funds allocated to any organisation must be accounted for within specific budgetary streams related to these deliverables.
The organisation's litigation and asset control is a matter for their Board.
Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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458. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth how many regulators are now involved in requests into an organisation (details supplied) in 2023; if the CRA, CEA, DPC, and Tusla are all investigating; if his Department has received and acted internally on any disclosures in relation to the organisation; the reason freedom of information requests in relation to the SI pre-Budget submission have been obstructed or delayed; if his Department will publish this submission; and if his Department accepts the organisation’s claim that it will grow its membership by 5,000 a year for three years. [49773/23]
Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The organisation referred to by the Deputy is a voluntary body, governed by its own Board. It receives some of its funding from my Department and raises other funding through member subscriptions and fund raising.
My Department provides funding to this organisation primarily through the Youth Service Grant Scheme. The Youth Service Grant Scheme has governance controls in place to ensure the appropriate use of public monies. Funding to this organisation is made available on the basis of an application process. This application process involves the outlining of specific deliverables related to the provision of services, and funds allocated to any organisation must be accounted for within specific budgetary streams related to these deliverables.
In relation to the specific queries raised by the Deputy:
- Investigations by the bodies referred to by the Deputy are matters for the organisation's Board. My Department will act on any relevant reports received from those bodies once any investigations are complete.
- My Department received a Protected Disclosure relating to this organisation earlier this year and it was forwarded at that time to the Protected Disclosure Commissioner for appropriate action, in accordance with protocol.
- My Department has no record of a Freedom of Information request of the nature described by the deputy. If one is submitted, it would be dealt with in accordance with the standard process.
- The organisation's membership projections are a matter for the Board of the organisation.
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