As the Deputy will be aware, my Department provides funding to Muintir na Tíre to cover costs incurred by communities in administering the Text Alert Scheme. The scheme is administered on a refund basis whereby communities submit their annual costs to Muintir na Tíre and a maximum refund of up to €350 is provided to the community.
For the last two years, my Department has committed to funding of up to €150,000 toward the costs of the scheme and, based on the number of applications received, it has had an average cost of €120,000 per annum. In January this year, and recognising the increased use of the alert scheme during the pandemic, Minister McEntee approved an increase in the individual cap paid to communities to €450 for the 2020 scheme only.
A further adjustment to the 2020 funding was made to address the fact that the scheme moved to costs incurred between January and December. Previously the scheme ran from September to September. To accommodate this adjustment, I approved an increase to the total budget of the Text Alert Scheme for 2020 from €150,000 to a maximum of €200,000 to cover the additional period between September and end December 2019.
I am advised that my Department provided €188,562.81 in funding for the text alert rebate scheme in 2020. A breakdown of the amount paid to each text alert group is attached. €7,800 was paid to Muintir na Tíre to administer the rebate.
I have sought information from Muintir na Tíre regarding the amount recouped from successful rebate applicants by Muintir na Tíre, by way of affiliation fees to that organisation, and will contact the Deputy directly when that information is to hand.
Name Of Group
|
County
|
Amount to be
paid out
|
Kealkill
|
Cork
|
€450.00
|
Bennekerry
|
Carlow
|
€450.00
|
Aglish
|
Tipperary
|
€450.00
|
Kilbrin
|
Cork
|
€450.00
|
Borris in Ossory
|
Laois
|
€450.00
|
Lyreacrompane
|
Kerry
|
€450.00
|
Caherdavin
|
Limerick
|
€200.00
|
Snugboro
|
Mayo
|
€445.00
|
Dunhill
|
Waterford
|
€450.00
|
Ballymore/Mayglas
|
Wexford
|
€450.00
|
Kilmacthomas Soci
|
Waterford
|
€450.00
|
Pillough
|
Offaly
|
€450.00
|
Ferbane Parish
|
Offaly
|
€450.00
|
Newmarket on Ferg
|
Clare
|
€390.00
|
Kilmurry McMahon
|
Clare
|
€340.00
|
Galbally
|
Limerick
|
€450.00
|
Ballyroe/Clougherb
|
Kerry
|
€350.00
|
Templederry
|
Tipperary
|
€450.00
|
Tullig
|
Kerry
|
€450.00
|
Lisdoonvarna/Dool
|
Clare
|
€450.00
|
Gaggin
|
Cork
|
€220.00
|
Killeedy
|
Limerick
|
€450.00
|
Drinagh
|
Cork
|
€450.00
|
Myshall
|
Carlow
|
€450.00
|
Carranstown
|
Meath
|
€190.00
|
Knockanure Valley
|
Kerry
|
€450.00
|
Coachford
|
Cork
|
€450.00
|
Urlingford & Grain
|
Kilkenny
|
€434.45
|
Glin
|
Limerick
|
€450.00
|
Clonaslee
|
Laois
|
€450.00
|
Rossnaree
|
Meath
|
€450.00
|
Oola
|
Limerick
|
€450.00
|
Blessington
|
Wicklow
|
€450.00
|
Killurin
|
Offaly
|
€240.00
|
Ballyduff
|
Wexford
|
€450.00
|
Skeheenarinky
|
Tipperary
|
€450.00
|
Rathmore
|
Kerry
|
€450.00
|
Ardaghey
|
Monaghan
|
€190.00
|
Ballindine
|
Mayo
|
€150.00
|
Meenleitrim Lough
|
Kerry
|
€450.00
|
Lorrha
|
Tipperary
|
€450.00
|
Ballinrobe
|
Mayo
|
€150.00
|
Rahan
|
Offaly
|
€50.00
|
Emo
|
Laois
|
€450.00
|
Clara
|
Kilkenny
|
€450.00
|
Knockraha
|
Cork
|
€285.00
|