19/10/2001

Politicians launch £18.5m children’s fund consultation

A major consultation into how an £18.5million fund for children in need and young people at risk should be operated, has been launched by Sir Reg Empey, Deputy First Minister Séamus Mallon, and Minister of Finance and Personnel, Mark Durkan.

The aim of the 12-week consultation is to determine what role the voluntary and community sector will play in distributing the cash from the Executive's Children’s Fund.

Welcoming the opportunity to work in partnership with the voluntary and community sector, Mr Durkan said: “From the outset, in developing arrangements for the Children's Fund, the Executive has been aware of the important role played by the voluntary and community sector in supporting children in need and young people at risk.

"As I made clear when I first announced the Executive Programme Funds in the Assembly we decided that special arrangements should be put in place to involve the sector and to enable it to access funding. We are now actively seeking its views on how this might best be achieved.

“Once the responses have been considered we hope to put the necessary arrangements in place to allow further allocations under the Fund to be made in April 2002."

The Children's Fund is one of five Executive Programme Funds created to support programmes or projects which are of major importance to the Executive. In total, some £29m will be distributed over a three-year period. (MB)

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