Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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259. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the measures he is taking to ensure that organisations, including State bodies under the aegis of his Department as well as non-governmental organisations and charities that are in receipt of funding from his Department, do not use any portion of such funding to campaign or promote a position in favour or against any outcome of the forthcoming referenda on Articles 41.1.1, 41.2.1 and 41.2.2 of the Constitution, thereby breaching the McKenna principles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6754/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to inform the Deputy that Funding provided by my Department is provided in line with Circular 13 of 2014 – “Management of and Accountability for Grants from Exchequer Funds”. Funding is provided based on vouched expenditure and only after the signing of Terms and Conditions which state the specific purpose of the grant.

Funding under the Competitive Research Programme requires that Research Performing Organisations submit certificates of assurance that their research awards are used in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Research Call Guidelines and that awards are utilised only for the purpose that they were provided.

My Department has also circulated guidance it received from the Department of an Taoiseach in respect of the application of the principles of the various Court judgements relevant to the Government’s role in referendum campaigns to all Heads of Division. The guidance is also being circulated to the 13 State Bodies under the aegis of my Department.

It is the responsibility of An Coimisiún Toghcháin, under Chapter 5, Part 2 of the Electoral Reform Act 2022, to provide a general explanation of the subject matter of the proposals for the referendums and to promote public awareness and encourage voting at the referendums.