John Gormley

Mr. Gormley: Does the Minister of State agree that Self Help is doing outstanding work in Uganda, Ethiopia and elsewhere?  I assume this is the reason that he initially accepted the organisation into the multiannual funding programme.  Will he explain why its funding has now been cut?Mr. C. Lenihan: Its funding has not been cut.

Mr. Gormley: It is dissatisfied with the drip-fed funding it is receiving.  Furthermore, Self Help claims it is being bullied by the IFA.  Extremely serious allegations have been made, including in regard to the interception of e-mails.  Is the Minister of State aware of these allegations and has he spoken to the IFA about them?  Will he renew the funding for this organisation?

Mr. C. Lenihan: The Department is extremely satisfied with the nature and focus of the programmes and projects run by Self Help in Africa.  As I publicly stated myself and through my officials, however, we are dissatisfied with the internal warring feud that is ongoing for almost a year within its board in Ireland and between the chief executive officer and certain members of the board.  This is not something that is happening behind closed doors; it has been reported in the newspapers.  This causes Irish Aid to pause and be careful.  I am frequently told in this House that we must have effective systems of evaluation and monitoring so that we can be sure the money we dispense is spent effectively.  That is our primary concern.  Anybody who would ignore such a situation in a charity predominantly funded by Irish taxpayers through Irish Aid would be accused of negligence.

Self Help was included in our first three-year multiannual programme scheme, MAPS1.  The development of the second multiannual programme scheme, MAPS2, is nearing completion but no organisations have yet qualified and been accepted for it.  Several are currently seeking to meet the criteria to graduate to MAPS2.  This is a five-year multiannual programme in keeping with the Green Paper’s commitment to extend more predictability to our partners.

I have written to the board and chief executive officer of Self Help to indicate that we cannot continue discussions in regard to its application to be part of MAPS2 while this particular situation is ongoing.  Our concerns relate to the corporate governance of Self Help in Ireland rather than to its work in Africa, where its programmes are well run and well evaluated.

Mr. Gormley: The Minister of State has talked it out nicely but I asked a specific question.  Has he spoken to the IFA about this?

Mr. C. Lenihan: I apologise, I intended to answer that question.  I have not spoken to the IFA, nor did I instruct my officials to do so.  However, my officials were contacted by representatives of the IFA who expressed their concern about the situation in Self Help.  My officials were mindful of the fact that the basis for Self Help’s funding is essentially founded on the support of the IFA throughout the State.  It is a charity that is rooted in rural areas,

Mr. Gormley: Self Help is being bullied by the IFA.

Mr. C. Lenihan: My officials were extremely concerned that a major sponsor of a charity should withdraws its support.  That should cause alarm bells to ring.  They would have been neglectful of their duty if they did not speak to the IFA about this matter, .

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I have called Deputy Finian McGrath.  The Minister of State has gone way over time.

Mr. C. Lenihan: In a recent edition of Village, Mr. Frank Connolly asserted in the headline of an article that IFA officials are bullying my officials.  This is absolutely not the case.  The IFA has behaved in a proper manner in regard to all these matter.  I reject such an insinuation, particularly by Mr. Connolly—–

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle: I ask the Minister of State to abide by Standing Orders.

Mr. C. Lenihan: —–whom I find to be a highly inaccurate journalist in my personal dealings with him.

(later)Mr. Gormley: How much money is going to Self Help this year?  When I spoke about bullying I referred to the IFA bullying members of Self Help.  Does the Minister of State think that is acceptable?
Mr. C. Lenihan: With regard to the IFA it is a question of whether one feels bullied.  Many Ministers for Agriculture over the years might have claimed they were bullied by the IFA.
Mr. Gormley: I am talking of verbal abuse.  It was quite clear.
Mr. C. Lenihan: If we on this side of the House have an issue with the IFA we stand up to it, as we do to Deputy Gormley.  We could not be bullied by it.
There is a rather toxic quality to the relationship between the IFA and Self Help to the point where the IFA has withdrawn its support for that organisation.  That is a matter of profound regret and concern to me because it has implications for the underlying funding of Self Help which relies heavily on private contributions or subscriptions.  It worries me that such a well-known organisation with a countrywide network of contacts as a fund-raising pool has withdrawn support from Self Help.
Self Help is one of the smallest of the five MAPs participants.  We contribute €3 million, whereas we give GOAL €1.5 million a month, Concern between €19 and €20 million a year.  Self Help is small but effective.  Its projects on the ground are of the highest quality and have stood up to inquiry, investigation and evaluation.

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