Will the Minister of State outline the procedure followed when a grant or allocation to an organisation is decided on?

I take it the Deputy is referring to the headquarters organisation under the youth service grants scheme.

I am referring to grants generally.

In the early months of each calendar year each of the youth organisations who have been grant-aided previously apply to the Department.

Perhaps I did not express my question clearly. I am concerned about the situation that obtains once a decision has been reached to make available a grant or allocation to any organisation. What is the mechanism by which that position is then implemented?

In the case of the headquarters youth organisation what has happened in recent years is that all the allocations have been announced at the same time. A press release is issued detailing those allocations and an opportunity is given to the press to probe the matter further. The organisations then, during the course of the year, draw down their funds as against expenditure.

Would the Minister agree that it would be a very undesirable departure from well established practice if politicians, whether they be Deputies or even Ministers of State, were to engage in a practice of bringing the cheques around to these organisations and handing them out as if they were a personal gift from the politician? Would that not be a very serious piece of parliamentary malpractice? Secondly, can the Minister confirm that this does not happen and that if it happens he will take steps to ensure, including himself if necessary, that it will not continue?

The Leader of the Opposition and myself have been talking at cross purposes for some moments in that my replies have been addressed to the question of headquarters organisations drawing down their annual support under the youth service grant-in-aid scheme. The supplementary tabled now by the Deputy is more likely to relate to organisations seeking capital grants or something of that nature. In that situation the most usual procedure is that architects' certificates are submitted and a percentage of the total grant is paid against the certificate. In the normal course the cheque would be sent by post but it might happen occasionally that the organisation involved would be attending a meeting in the Department in which case they would collect the cheque themselves. On occasion the cheque might be handed over by people associated with the Department, including myself.

Is it not most desirable that in all these cases strict departmental procedures are adhered to, that the organisations concerned be notified by the Department of the allocation and that payment be made to them directly through official channels? Can the Minister state whether he has or persons authorised to deputies for him have brought cheques personally and handed them to organisations as if they were donating the money personally when all that is involved is the dispensing of public funds?

I agree that in this area of support for community activity it is important that proper procedures are followed. That would be the attitude of the entire Government and that was why on one occasion we found it necessary to review the allocation of grants when it appeared that some organisations who had not submitted applications were about to become beneficiaries. Because of that it was necessary for us to review very carefully the whole question of the making of applications and the consideration of them on their merits. I have indicated what the normal procedure is. I have indicated also that on occasions when meeting with a group I have dealt personally with them to expedite matters.

Did that involve handing over cheques personally to certain organisations?

I have indicated the various ways in which the organisations might receive the moneys.

That is not an answer to the question. Has the Minister personally handed over Department cheques to certain organisations?

The most usual procedure is for the cheque to be sent by post. The next most usual procedure is for an organisation to be in the Department on other business and while there to collect the funds. They are always anxious to have the money in their bank accounts as soon as possible. I have indicated also that there have been occasions when someone associated with the Department, and particularly myself, has been dealing with such an organisation and handed over the money to them.

Would the Minister of State not consider that practice to be a piece of despicable chicanery and political opportunism on his part, that it is an effort to give the impression that he personally is donating these allocations to the organisations when all he is doing is usurping the function of his Department for mean political purposes?

This would be more appropriate to a debate on an Estimate for the Department.