Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 May 2021
595. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which the community development division of her Department has continued to engage with various local communities nationwide and in County Kildare throughout the past year; the extent to which successful focus has been applied to the various needs and requirements detected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28283/21]
View answerMy Department has extensive engagement with the community and voluntary sector as part of its ongoing work to support empowered, inclusive and resilient communities and a thriving volunteer culture, and to help this sector to contribute fully to civil society. In the last year in particular, my Department has put in place various initiatives including:
- Working with Pobal to put in place guidelines for the community and voluntary sector for reopening or operating their premises safely, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Supporting the Community Call initiative which was an unprecedented mobilisation of both state and voluntary resources to combat the effects of COVID-19. This included providing funding for a COVID-19 Community Outreach initiative implemented by the Wheel and Irish Rural link, which supported the voluntary sector.
- Providing flexibility under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) to allow Local Development Companies help the local response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Under SICAP €1,092,867 is being provided to Kildare in 2021.
- Funding programmes in 2020 including two rounds of the Community Enhancement Programme (€7m) and two rounds of the COVID-19 Emergency Fund (€4.2m). Kildare received a total of €399,680 under these four funds. I also recently launched the 2021 Community Enhancement Programme with funding of €4.5m, with Kildare being allocated €148,013.
- Supporting over 420 community organisations under the Community Services Programme, or CSP, to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model. Pobal, who administer the programme on behalf of my Department engage with organisations under this programme on a regular basis. There are currently five organisations based in Kildare supported under the CSP, with funding in excess of €410,000 provided towards the annual cost of supporting three managers and 16.5 full time equivalent positions.
- Developing a CSP Support Fund of €7.95m to help organisations retain CSP supported employees and provide assistance towards the cost of the Employers PRSI contribution. The additional funding also assists those organisations most in need to meet their ongoing operational costs such as insurance, light, heat and audit fees. Almost €106,000 has been provided to the CSP supported organisations in County Kildare to date. My Department and Pobal are continuing to monitor the situation closely.
My Department also engages with communities through the CLÁR programme which was launched on the 15th March 2021. The measures funded under the programme this year are Support for Schools/Community Safety, Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities and Community Wellbeing.
My Department takes a partnership approach to its work with the voluntary sector and this will continue through the implementation of its strategies and action plans, in the development of policy and delivery of services, and through the networks and support structures, many of which we help to maintain. In doing this, we will continue to put communities at the centre of finding and implementing solutions for their own areas.
