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Wednesday, 25 Nov 2020

Written Answers Nos. 286 and 287

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (286)

John Lahart

Question:

286. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the Covid-19 supports put in place to assist the charity sector since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38923/20]

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Written answers

Through our ongoing engagement with the Community and Voluntary sector including charities, my Department is keenly aware of the challenges faced by the sector whilst meeting increased demands on many of their services. My Department is providing additional vital supports to rural and community organisations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is supporting the following initiatives:

On 16 March 2020, my Department launched the COVID-19 Government Action Plan in partnership with other Departments, State agencies and our extensive network of community and voluntary organisations. These initiatives provide support for volunteering, funding to ALONE for their crisis telephone support line, and an email helpdesk facility to assist smaller community groups with their queries.

On 11 May 2020, a €40 million support package for the Community and Voluntary Sector, Charities and Social Enterprises was launched by Government and is administered by the Department. This funding is being made available through the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is specifically set aside to support initiatives which will benefit the most disadvantaged groups in society.

The package included:

- A €35 million COVID-19 Stability Fund providing a level of support to qualifying organisations who are most in need and have seen their trading and/or fundraising income drop significantly during the crisis. An additional €10M was allocated to this fund as part of the Budget 2021 process and my Department is currently finalising the distribution of this additional funding. To date 590 organisations including many charities have been allocated almost €31M under this fund; and

- A €5 million Government commitment to a Philanthropy Fund, (Innovate Together) which focuses on supporting responses to the COVID-19 crisis that require innovative and adaptive solutions to existing and emerging challenges. To date, 52 organisations have been allocated a funding value of approximately €3.2 million. A second round of applications are currently being assessed and it is anticipated that the successful awardees will be announced in early December

On 9 April 2020, an initial €2.5 million COVID-19 Emergency Fund was introduced to provide immediate and urgently needed funding to community and voluntary groups that are participating in the Government’s “Community Call” initiative which is being led by the Local Authorities.

My Department currently supports over 420 community organisations under the Community Services Programme (CSP) to provide local services through a social enterprise model. As a result of COVID-19 my Department also developed a €1.2m Support Fund to assist all CSP supported organisations to continue to retain their CSP supported employees on their payroll, during this crisis period. The Fund provided additional funding for a number of weeks to many of these organisations. Pobal, who manage the programme on behalf of the Department, have undertaken a detailed review of the financial position of all the CSP supported organisations, as their ability to generate income has been greatly hampered by the Covid-19 crisis in many cases. The outcome of this review will inform decision regarding any additional supports that might be required by these organisations. The Department should be in a position to make an announcement on this matter very shortly and any additional supports to be provided will be considered in light of available resources.

The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructure projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. In 2020, the supports provided through CLÁR have been tailored to help rural communities respond to the new COVID-19 environment, including the new Meals on Wheels and Linked Services measure. This measure provides funding to community organisations for the purchase of kitchen or food delivery equipment and vehicle adaptations that may be necessary as a result of new public health advice. Funding of almost €340,000 was announced for 45 successful projects on Friday, November 20th.

The Department worked with Pobal to put in place guidance for community and voluntary groups regarding reopening after the initial lockdown. This guidance is updated regularly by the Department as the situation develops, and is now focussed on operating safely.

In respect of the Department’s other programmes, funding commitments are being maintained, and though delays may be experienced in delivery for a period of time it is expected that all projects and initiatives will continue when safe to do so.

Public Procurement Contracts

Questions (287)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

287. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the aegis of her Department have implemented social clauses in their public procurement contracts in the past three years (details supplied); and if so, the nature of these social clauses. [39055/20]

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Written answers

I can confirm that Social Clauses, through public procurement processes, have been implemented by my Department and also by one entity under its aegis.

Public Libraries, which my Department has policy responsibility for, issued a call for proposals to library authorities in December 2019 for the provision of sensory facilities and equipment in public libraries.

The call advised that consideration be given to the inclusion of a social consideration clause that would encourage the engagement of Social Enterprises as part of the process of tendering for the supply of goods and services in this field. The call document provided examples of potential social consideration clauses that could be applied such as, reserved lots for social enterprises, or dedicated/weighted marks for social enterprise applicants.

My Department provided funding at a standard rate of 75% of total eligible costs incurred but the rate increased to 80% for library authorities who included a social consideration clause in their procurement process.

In response to the call, the Department received applications for 49 projects from 30 library authorities, all of which were approved, and six of the projects submitted by four library authorities (Leitrim, Longford, Monaghan x2, Westmeath x 2) included a social consideration clause.

Pobal, which works on behalf of Government is an agency under the aegis of my Department. It uses standard Office of Government Procurement contract templates. A key element in Pobal’s procurement strategy is to engage in socially responsible public procurement.

In September 2020, Pobal issued a new internal Procurement Policy with a “think social first” strategy whereby Pobal will ask if services or goods can be provided by a social enterprise or workshop. Also in 2021, Pobal’s new three-year Corporate Procurement Plan will set out target contracts that Pobal will aim for with regard to social enterprises to tender for.

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