As the Deputy may be aware, in 2019, my Department received an independent report, which it commissioned to provide analysis of the market for data on the non-profit sector. This report examined, inter alia, issues around the demand for the data concerned, methodologies and technologies used, the potential for direct provision by the State of these services itself, and the maturity of the market to provide these services efficiently.
On foot of this report, a review was undertaken in 2020 which found that the business case for the continued funding of an independent organisation to provide publicly available financial information of the non-profit sector by my Department was no longer justified.
Recognising that other public service bodies with direct policy involvement in the not-for-profit sector may have wished to consider whether they had an appreciable business case to continue funding for this initiative, my Department agreed to fund the initiative up to the end of 2021. This provision was made to facilitate relevant public service bodies to consider their position and to assess all options in relation to their respective business needs concerning data on the not-for-profit sector.
My Department has no plans to provide funding to an independent organisation to provide financial information of the non-profit sector.
