Written Answers Nos. 182-187
182. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if capital assistance scheme funding will continue to be made available to voluntary groups who wish to apply for same; if he has any proposals to change the nature of the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36008/14]
View answerThe Capital Assistance Scheme has continued to provide funding to approved housing bodies, through the local authorities, of up to 100% of the approved costs of accommodation for people with specific categories of housing need. This includes older persons, people with an intellectual, physical or mental health disability, homeless people, returning emigrants and victims of domestic violence.
My Department initially allocated €26.8 million at the start of this year for on-going commitments to approved housing bodies in 2014 under the Capital Assistance Scheme. Furthermore, in May 2014 details were announced of an additional capital investment of over €46 million under the scheme for a range of housing projects to provide 416 units of accommodation for people with special housing needs.
My overall plans in relation to the future delivery of social housing will be set out in the new Social Housing Strategy which is currently in preparation, with the intention that it will be considered by Government in the coming weeks. While the finalisation of the Strategy will be a matter for Government, I expect that the growing role of approved housing bodies in contributing to the supply of social housing, based on innovative solutions, will be recognised and resourced as part of our approach for the future.
183. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will meet with the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to recognise the Government's commitment to supporting disadvantaged women and thus ensure that the current funding is ring-fenced and safeguarded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36042/14]
View answer184. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ring-fence funding to support the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to deliver the only programme specifically targeted at women from disadvantaged communities; the way he plans providing support for this most marginalised group who are not named under the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP. [36048/14]
View answer185. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to engage with the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks, NCCWN, to resolve the difficulty that has arisen because that organisation created a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes them from securing funding post 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the NCCWN engaged with 35,580 marginalised women across 17 communities throughout Ireland in 2013 alone. [36049/14]
View answer186. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to support the voluntary board of the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks with their responsibilities to 17 local women’s projects, 44 staff members and approximately 200 non-directly employed staff. [36050/14]
View answer187. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that marginalised women are not a target group of the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; if he will provide reassurance to the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks, NCCWN, that an alternative funding stream will be made available to continue this valuable work; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the NCCWN engaged with 35,580 marginalised women across 17 communities throughout Ireland in 2013 alone. [36051/14]
View answer190. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ring fence funding to support the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to deliver the only programme specifically targeted at women from disadvantaged communities; the way he plans to provide support for this marginalised group who are not named under the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP. [36088/14]
View answer191. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to engage with the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to resolve the difficulty that has arisen because that organisation created a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes them from securing funding post 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP. [36089/14]
View answer192. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to support the voluntary board of the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks with their responsibilities to 17 local women’s projects, 44 staff members and approximately 200 non-directly employed staff. [36090/14]
View answer193. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the marginalised women are not a target group of the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; if he will provide reassurance to the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks that an alternative funding stream will be made available to continue this valuable work. [36091/14]
View answer194. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ring-fence funding to support the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to deliver the only programme specifically targeted at women from disadvantaged communities; if he will outline the way his Department will provide support for this most marginalised group which was not named under the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36096/14]
View answer195. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to engage with the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to resolve the difficulty that has arisen because that organisation created a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes it from securing funding post 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36097/14]
View answer196. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to support the voluntary board of the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks, NCCWN, with its responsibilities to 17 local women’s projects, 44 staff members and approximately 200 non-directly employed staff in view of the fact that the NCCWN board's concerns regarding the future of the work with women from the most disadvantaged communities here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36098/14]
View answer197. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that marginalised women are not a target group of the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; if he will provide reassurance to the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks that an alternative funding stream will be made available to continue this valuable work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36099/14]
View answer198. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ring-fence funding to support the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to deliver the only programme specifically targeted at women from disadvantaged communities; the way he plans to provide support for this marginalised group who are not named under the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36115/14]
View answer199. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the way he plans to engage with the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks to resolve the difficulty that has arisen due to that organisation being created as a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes them from securing funding post 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36116/14]
View answer201. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that marginalised women are not a target group of the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; if he will provide reassurance to the National Collective Community Based Women's Network, NCCWN, that an alternative funding stream will be made available to continue this valuable work; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that NCCWN engaged with 35,580 marginalised women across 17 communities throughout Ireland in 2013 alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36137/14]
View answer202. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to support the voluntary board of the National Collective Community Based Women's Networks, NCCWN, with the responsibilities to 17 local women’s projects, 44 staff members and approximately 200 non-directly employed staff (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36138/14]
View answer203. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to engage with the National Collective Community Based Women's Networks, NCCWN, to resolve the difficulty that has arisen because that organisation created a national structure to meet the requirement of the community development programme which now precludes them from securing funding post 2014 under the new social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that NCCWN engaged with 35,580 marginalised women across 17 communities throughout Ireland in 2013 alone; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36139/14]
View answer204. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to ring-fence funding to support the National Collective Community Based Women's Networks to deliver the only programme specifically targeted at women from disadvantaged communities; his plans to provide support for this marginalised group who are not named under the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36148/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 183 to 187, inclusive, 190 to 199, inclusive, and 201 to 204, inclusive, together.
My Department's Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State. The current Programme officially ended at the end of 2013 having operated for four years with funding of €281m over that period. It is being implemented on a transitional basis for 2014 with a budget of €47m pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) in April 2015. Some 17 Women’s Projects under the remit of the National Collective of Community Based Women's Networks (NCCWN) currently receive annual funding of €1.3 million under the LCDP. In addition, my Department also supports a number of Women’s projects under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). This funding scheme, which supports national organisations in the community and voluntary sector, aims to provide multi-annual funding towards core costs associated with the provision of services. A new round of funding under this scheme commenced on 1 July 2014, under which the NCCWN was allocated some €160,122 for the two year period of 1July 2014 – 30 June 2016.
The SICAP is one of my key priorities and its budget for next year will be decided in the 2015 Estimates process. The Programme's target groups are:
- Children and Families from Disadvantaged Areas
- Lone Parents
- New Communities (including Refugees/Asylum Seekers)
- People living in Disadvantaged Communities
- People with Disabilities
- Roma
- The Unemployed (including those not on the Live Register)
- Travellers
- Young Unemployed People from Disadvantaged areas
In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of the services to clients, the Programme is subject to a public procurement process, which is currently underway. Stage one (Expression of Interest) has been completed. Stage two (Invitation to Tender), will get underway in October and will involve the successful applicants from Stage one being invited to apply to one or more Local Community Development Committees, in Local Authority areas, to deliver the programme. Contracts for SICAP will be determined following the outcome of the procurement process.
The public procurement process is a competitive process that is open to Local Development Companies, other not-for-profit community groups, commercial firms and national organisations that can provide the services to be tendered for to deliver the new Programme. In Stage one, joint applications were encouraged and organisations of varying sizes (for example smaller organisations working in consortia with larger organisations) were invited to submit joint applications. That said, I understand that some small groups, such as the groups under the remit of the NCCWN, faced a number of challenges in competing in the Stage one process. As soon as the outcome of Stage one is made known, I will be considering the implications of that for NCCWN in the context of the relevant SICAP target groups.
