Written Answers Nos. 595-598
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.
596. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount spent by her Department on external professional legal services in 2014, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [28308/21]
View answerMy Department was established on 19 July 2017. Since that date it has incurred expenditure in respect of legal fees of €2,655 in 2018, €1,855 in 2019 and €2,797 in 2020.
In 2018, the Department was assigned a designated point of contact for the provision of legal advice through the Office of the Attorney General, and it is intended that this service provides for the majority of our ongoing requirements in this regard.
597. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will consider including stay-at-home parents returning to the workforce in the eligibility criteria for roles on the community services programme that are currently reserved exclusively for persons returning to the workforce following receipt of a social welfare payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28353/21]
View answerThe aim of my Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) is to support community-based organisations to provide employment opportunities for disadvantaged individuals and to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model. The programme was launched in 2006 and has evolved over the years in line with emerging priorities.
The CSP focuses on communities where public and private sector services are lacking, either through geographical or social isolation or because demand levels are not sufficient. CSP funding is provided as a co-funding contribution towards the cost of staff in CSP organisations. Over 420 community organisations are currently supported under the programme to provide employment opportunities and local services through a social enterprise model.
The criteria under which the programme operates provide that CSP supported organisations must recruit at least 70% of their CSP supported full time equivalent positions from specific target groups, which include those most distant from the labour market, unemployed people, persons with a disability, members of the Traveller community, stabilised and recovering drug misusers and people with convictions who are in contact with the probation service.
In 2020, Indecon International Economic Consultants, on behalf of the Department, carried out an independent review of the CSP. The Indecon report was published on 30th September last, following which my Department and Pobal commenced work on the restructuring of the programme and, as part of that ongoing work, the range of groups to be considered for inclusion in the revised programme will be reviewed.
598. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the investment made by her Department and State agencies under its remit in each year in cyber security for the past ten years. [28849/21]
View answerMy Department's ICT services are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO).
I have been informed that the OGCIO implements a security-by-design and defence-in-depth approach to cyber security. The OGCIO continues to operate and monitor all relevant systems to the highest levels, and is closely engaged with experts in the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) to ensure that best practice is implemented as it relates to all aspects of Cybersecurity.
For operational and security reasons, the Department and the OGCIO has been advised by the NCSC not to disclose details of systems and processes which could in any way compromise these efforts. In particular, it is not considered appropriate to disclose information which might assist criminals to identify potential vulnerabilities in any Department's cybersecurity arrangements or those of the agencies under its aegis. Therefore no details can be disclosed in relation to cyber security tools and services or the costs associated with same.
