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Minister Announces New Policy
Minister announces launch of new funding package and policy for volunteer centres in Ireland.
John Curran T.D., Minister of State for the National Drugs Strategy, Community Affairs and Integration, at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, today announced a funding package of €2.8 million in 2009 for a network of 21 volunteer centres across Ireland. The primary role of the centres is to match members of the public interested in volunteering with local community organisations seeking volunteers.
Following a review in 2008 of a three-year pilot scheme to fund volunteer centres, Minister Curran also launched a series of measures to support the network of centres into the future. Volunteer Centres in 21 locations will be funded, including in Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Drogheda, Dublin City South, Dublin City North, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Limerick (County and City), Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wicklow.
Announcing the funding Minister Curran said:
“Ireland can be proud of its long tradition of volunteering. While Irish society has undergone many fundamental changes in recent years, we have retained a tradition of people helping each other, of coming together and pooling resources and skills when a task needs to be done. The fact that we are now seeing a significant increase in the number of people of all ages and backgrounds who are interested in volunteering bodes well, I believe, for our volunteering culture into the future.
Over the last number of years, the Government has sought to encourage the dynamism of volunteers and communities working together, and has prioritised significant new resources in support of this. These new policy measures and the funding that I am announcing today is a further sign of the Government’s ongoing commitment to creating an enabling environment where volunteering can flourish.”
Following a review in 2008 of a three-year pilot scheme to fund volunteer centres, Minister Curran also launched a series of measures to support the network of centres into the future. Volunteer Centres in 21 locations will be funded, including in Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Drogheda, Dublin City South, Dublin City North, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Kerry, Kildare, Limerick (County and City), Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Sligo, South Dublin, Tipperary, Westmeath and Wicklow.
Announcing the funding Minister Curran said:
“Ireland can be proud of its long tradition of volunteering. While Irish society has undergone many fundamental changes in recent years, we have retained a tradition of people helping each other, of coming together and pooling resources and skills when a task needs to be done. The fact that we are now seeing a significant increase in the number of people of all ages and backgrounds who are interested in volunteering bodes well, I believe, for our volunteering culture into the future.
Over the last number of years, the Government has sought to encourage the dynamism of volunteers and communities working together, and has prioritised significant new resources in support of this. These new policy measures and the funding that I am announcing today is a further sign of the Government’s ongoing commitment to creating an enabling environment where volunteering can flourish.”
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