Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
1050. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the supports which will be provided to community, social and tourism enterprises that have lost large levels of revenue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9254/20]
View answerSince the COVID-19 public health emergency, we have seen many community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises, significantly step-up and diversify their activities to adapt to local needs as part of their valued contribution to the Community Call.
However, I am also aware that many of these organisations find themselves in financial difficulty as their commercial activities have been significantly curtailed. In recognition of this, I recently announced a number of support measures for community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises.
In April, I launched a €2.5 million COVID Emergency Fund to support community and voluntary groups, including social enterprises, involved in the delivery of COVID-19 community response efforts. This Fund was delivered through the Local Authorities.
In May, I launched a €40 million package of supports under the Dormant Accounts Fund, which comprises:
- a €35 million COVID-19 Stability Fund administered by Pobal, to help organisations who have seen their traded and/or fundraised income drop significantly during the crisis; and
- a €5 million Government commitment to a Philanthropy ‘Innovate Together’ Fund, administered by Social Innovation Fund Ireland, which focuses on supporting responses to the crisis that require innovative and adaptive solutions to existing and emerging challenges.
While applications have closed for now for the above supports, my Department continues to support the development of social enterprises in line with the National Social Enterprise Policy (2019-2022), in a number of ways.
The Training and Mentoring Pilot scheme, which I launched last year, is supporting over 400 participants to develop their social enterprises, with funding of over €725,000. This scheme is even more important now in light of the COVID crisis, to help social enterprises to build their capacity and resilience in difficult trading circumstances.
The €2 million Small Scale Capital Grants for Social Enterprise, which I also launched last year, is supporting 220 projects nationwide. Both of these schemes are funded from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
My Department also continues to support social enterprises and other community organisations through a number of other programmes including SICAP, LEADER and the Community Services Programme (CSP). These organisations provide services and products in a variety of sectors, including local tourism.
