More than €16 million in funding has been announced for national community and voluntary organisations by Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Simon Coveney.

The €16,409m funding is under a new round of the Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector and will run for a three-year period until mid-2019.

Funding is to cover core costs such as staff, administration and ongoing running expenses. The organisations included operate in the health, disability, homelessness, children and young persons, older persons, equality and social inclusion sectors, among others.

Applications were invited from community and voluntary organisations that operate at a national level with evidence of a nationwide membership. The allocation of funding was largely based on evidence of need and value for money in order to ensure that the funds were allocated to the organisations where they are most needed.

Announcing the funding, Minister Coveney said: "I am particularly delighted to announce today this substantial funding to 70 national Community & Voluntary organisations.

"This Government recognises the value of the great work carried out by such national organisations. This funding is over a three year period to allow organisations to plan for a more sustainable timeframe, which was a key request from the national organisations.

"The Government will invest in excess of €16.4m over the next three years under this Scheme and I am confident that the many people who benefit from the work carried out by these groups will see the value of this investment."

(MH)