Warning to State-funded groups

The Government has warned groups funded by the State that they should restrain their funding expectations in line with the slowdown in public expenditure.

The Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Ms Coughlan, told the statutory body responsible for provision of information and advice on State services, Comhairle, that the Government was obliged to set priorities given the increasing demands on the public purse.

She said: "Expectations from individuals, for organisations and services are higher than ever before and there must be realisation in the public domain that growth of expectation must slow in line with the growth in public expenditure." Noting that Comhairle's funding had risen to €17 million this year from €13 million in 2001, she said the body should conduct an audit of its services "and question the value for money you provide to the public".

Comhairle was set up in 2000 to combine the former National Social Service Board and certain functions of the National Rehabilitation Board. It funds the network of Citizens Information Centres.

At the Comhairle conference in Limerick yesterday, Ms Coughlan said: "I would urge you to diligently assess how you spend your budget and to ensure that the service you provide is not replicating information services already in place." She added: "It is incumbent on us to also ensure that for every euro of public money spent that we deliver one euro's value to the public." Comhairle's chief executive, Ms Leonie Lunny, said the body, its staff and the organisations it funded were conscious of the need to ensure value for money. She said those at the conference did not see Ms Coughlan's remarks as any form of admonishment.

Ms Lunny believed Ms Coughlan felt obliged to reiterate the importance of value for money given the extent of the funding Comhairle was receiving. This was in line with standard practice throughout the entire public sector. Ms Coughlan noted that queries to Citizen's Information Centres had risen by 23 per cent to 476,000 last year. She praised the dedication and professionalism of the body's staff.