29.05.09 Curran announces funding for network of volunteer centres across 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.”

Note for Editors
The aim of the policy measures for the network of volunteer centres is to maximise their impact in generating and supporting volunteering opportunities, on a value for money basis. Key points contained within the policy document include:

• Provision of quantifiable service standards for volunteer centres;
• Introduction of a peer-review mechanism to assess the performance of centres;
• Clarity and guidelines regarding funding;
• Cost sharing with local agencies