NICVA welcomes the Taskforce report and recommendations for £25 million community investment fund

For immediate use: 18 October 2004

NICVA Chief Executive, Seamus Mc Aleavey, has welcomed the publication of the Taskforce report and its submission to government.

Commenting on the report ‘Investing Together’ he said: “There are over 4,500 voluntary and community groups involved in every aspect of life in Northern Ireland. Working in adult education, with children, in communities, in housing, mental health, advice services, youth work, to highlight a few, we employ over 30,000 people in developing communities, providing services and advocacy on behalf of those in need.”

Mr Mc Aleavey continued: “This report is extremely positive and of critical importance in creating a secure future for the voluntary and community sector which has suffered for too long from stop-go funding. Most importantly, it recommends cutting red tape and cumbersome financial accountability procedures and replacing them with streamlined yet effective systems to ensure probity where public funds are involved. This will mean more time and resources being targeted on where they should be – front line services and activity.”

NICVA also welcomes the recommendation to create a Community Investment Fund of up to £25 million annually. Mr Mc Aleavey commented: “This has been a missing link in Northern Ireland. Community development work here has always had to dig funds out of a whole variety of other programmes. There has been no specific funding for the essential foundation work in local communities. This is about enabling ordinary people better help themselves in accessing services and other opportunities."

For further information, please contact Paul Mc Gill on 07721 746805.

Note to Editors

This press release relates to a DSD press release entitled ‘Spellar welcomes report on the future funding of the voluntary and community sector’.