Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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I wish to advise that Voluntary and Public Service Organisations funded or part-funded by the Department are subject either to the provisions of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies or the Charities Governance Code. Both of these Codes set out how these organisations address conflicts of interest.

Links to these Codes are provided below.

• Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies
• Charities-Governance-Code

It is worth noting that bespoke governance arrangement cover the Department’s funding to and service provision by Pobal.

Pobal is both a not for profit company, limited by guarantee, and a registered charity, which acts as an intermediary for the Government in the delivery and administration of a range of programmes and social supports. Its parent Department is the Department of Rural and Community Development (RCD) and the Minister for RCD is its single shareholder. The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth uses the services of Pobal to operate and support a range of Early Learning and Care (ELC) and School Age Childcare (SAC) schemes and initiatives. These services occur under a multi-level governance framework, operated in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies.

Pobal’s Conflict of Interest policy is published on its website and may be accessed www.pobal.ie/app/uploads/2022/11/Board-Code-of-Conduct.pdf

Finally, Special EU Programmes Body, a North-South Body coming under the aegis of DPENDPR, receives funding from this Department in respect of certain cross-border youth programmes. SEUPB’s Annual Report notes that it has a Conflict of Interest policy in place.