Written Answers Nos. 341-342
341. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total allocation of capital to her Department in 2021 including any capital carried forward from 2020; the amount of this spent to date in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37030/21]
View answerThe revised estimate for my Department for 2021 provides for a gross allocation of €351 million, with a capital allocation of €168.6 million. In addition, €13.18 million of unspent capital funding has been carried forward from 2020 giving a total capital allocation of €181.8 million for 2021.
At the end of June 2021 total capital spend amounted to €31.5 million which includes €4 million from the capital allocation carried forward from 2020.
The COVID-19 pandemic and the necessary public health restrictions that were imposed across all sectors of society, including the construction industry, has again impacted on the progress of projects in 2021. It will be challenging to make up the ground lost due to the closure of the construction sites until May. However, my Department monitors the activity across all programme areas on an ongoing basis to ensure that maximum expenditure is achieved.
Given these challenges, I will be keeping capital expenditure under constant review, and will seek to ensure that the resources provided are put to best use so that rural areas and communities benefit from the investments provided through our programmes.
342. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the section of her Department that was responsible for drafting the eligibility criteria for the stability fund for community and voluntary, charity and social enterprises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37045/21]
View answerThe Government are aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and are committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach. To that end, Government and my Department have introduced a wide range of supports to assist sectors in dealing with the impact of COVID-19 and social restrictions necessary in the interests of public health.
During 2020, the Dormant Accounts funded COVID-19 Stability Fund supported close to 600 organisations to continue to deliver vital services to the communities that depend on them. As it was funded under Dormant Accounts, the eligibility requirements for the scheme reflected the remit of the Dormant Accounts legislation.
An additional allocation of €10m has been provided to the Stability Fund for 2021 as part of the revised Resilience and Recovery plan announced on Tuesday 23rd February by the Taoiseach.
The COVID-19 Stability Fund 2021 was launched on Thursday 6th May, and is again targeted at organisations which deliver critical services to vulnerable people within their community but which now face closure or a loss of service due to the impact of the pandemic. The Fund was open for applications from May 20th - 27th.
The 2021 Stability Fund has limited funding available and while organisations that received funding under the 2020 Stability Fund were eligible to apply, priority will be given to organisations that have not previously received State support since the onset of the Pandemic. Eligibility to apply / submitting an application is no guarantee of funding.
The Community Policy section in the Libraries Development and Community Policy Business Unit of the Department has worked closely with Pobal in designing, developing and administering this scheme. Applications appraisal in respect of the 2021 scheme is currently ongoing, in line with published criteria.
Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in due course, with all allocations published on the Gov.ie website when available.
