Sail Training Ireland received €50,000 from the Dormant Accounts Fund last year to enable young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in voyages.
Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development Joe O’Brien cited the grant as one of four case studies showing the benefits of the fund when awarded last year.
The grant was focused on ensuring 63 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, or who had a disability or additional needs, could take part in “science focused voyages around Ireland”.
“Without the funding these young people could not have taken part and benefited from this experience,”O’Brien’s department said, marking the Dormant Accounts Fund annual report for 2023.
Overall, funding of over €52 million was provided in 2023 to help address disadvantage right across Ireland, O’Brien noted.
“The 46 measures included in the report were implemented across Government and have helped to address a diverse range of issues such as providing programmes to support children and youths; prisoners; carers; and marginalised groups such as the Traveller and Roma Community,” he said.
“The programmes being funded are providing opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and communities that would not be possible without the Dormant Accounts Fund,”he said.
“It is making a real difference to people’s lives now and for the future, and providing many people with skills and experiences that will have long lasting positive impacts,”he added.
The Dormant Accounts Fund enables unclaimed funds from accounts in credit institutions in Ireland to be used to support the development of persons who are economically or educationally disadvantaged, or those affected by a disability.
The annual report can be found here on gov.ie: Dormant Accounts Fund: Annual Action Plans and Reports
