Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 June 2015
196. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding available for the refurbishment of a house made available by a local authority in Kilkenny to the Thomas Hayes Trust, County Kilkenny, for its use in promoting services for the prevention of suicide and for families affected by suicide; if applications for such funding are dealt with by the local authority or directly by his Department. [22677/15]
View answerMy Department’s Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the successor programme to the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP), was rolled out across communities on 1 April 2015, following a procurement process. While SICAP provides supports to disadvantaged communities, including communities affected by suicide, there is no funding available under SICAP for the refurbishment of the type of house referred to by the Deputy.
My Department has provided funding for village enhancement infrastructure under the LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013. Funding under the current Programme is now fully committed but I expect that the LEADER element of the successor 2014-2020 Rural Development Programme will commence during 2015 and there may be potential under LEADER to fund a facility such as the one referred to.
It will of course be a matter for each Local Action Group selected to deliver the new LEADER programme to approve projects under the Programme that are in line with the Local Development Strategy ultimately approved for the area concerned.
