Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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2767. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will detail the criteria by which NGOs are selected for multi-annual funding; the proportion of total State NGO funding allocated to small, volunteer-led organisations; and the proportion concentrated in the largest 100 NGOs. [46642/25]

Ken O'Flynn (Cork North-Central, Independent Ireland Party)
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2768. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether his Department has conducted any assessment of duplication or overlap among State-funded NGOs; and if so, if he will publish those findings. [46645/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 2767 and 2768 together.

It should be noted that public funding to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is provided by numerous government departments and agencies for a multitude of purposes. Each of these funding schemes and arrangements have specific eligibility criteria and requirements regarding outputs, reporting and audit. The management and monitoring of these schemes and arrangements necessarily falls to each department and agency. Accordingly, my Department has not carried out an assessment of duplication or overlap among State-funded NGOs as it is beyond the capacity or remit of this Department to do so.

It should also be noted that while policy responsibility for charity law and the oversight of the Charities Regulator comes under the aegis of my Department, many NGOs do not meet the conditions to register as a charity and therefore do not come under the remit of the Regulator.

With regard to funding provided by my own Department to non-governmental organisations, my Department operates a wide range of funding schemes to which community and voluntary groups, charities, social enterprises and other such organisations can make applications. All grants issued by my Department have specific terms and conditions associated with the grant funding. While the terms and conditions can vary across schemes, mainly taking account of the level of funding the scheme provides, they are based on the requirements of DPENDR circular 13/2014 which provides guidance for the management and accountability of grants. This guidance note is available at: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-ndp-delivery-and-reform/circulars/circular-132014-management-of-and-accountability-for-grants-from-exchequer-funds/.

Amongst these schemes, and possibly of most relevance to the Deputy's question, I would highlight the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO), which provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of community and voluntary sector organisations that work at the national level, and that deliver services and supports with a focus on addressing one or more of the following:

• poverty.
• social exclusion.
• promoting equality.