Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 October 2021
259. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has given consideration to increasing the capacity of local development companies to tackle inequality and social exclusion across Ireland as it emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50311/21]
View answerLocal Development Companies (LDCs) across Ireland deliver over €300 million of state-funded programmes each year, acting as community partners for government agencies and Departments, while supporting more than 15,000 communities and community groups and 173,000 individuals.
One of these programmes is my Department’s Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) which aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting communities and individuals using community development approaches, engagement and collaboration.
The programme does vital work in helping individuals and groups, by improving the life chances of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty or unemployed. Indeed, since 2018, the programme has supported over 80,000 individuals and 6,200 Local Community Groups. In addition, it supports collective community engagement and the development of more sustainable and stronger communities, improving the quality of life of those facing social exclusion and inequality.
I want to acknowledge the importance of this work by LDCs, especially as Ireland emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
To support this work my Department is providing SICAP funding in excess of €220 million to LDCs over six years from 2018 to 2023. This year over €39 million was allocated, supporting front line workers in LDCs to deliver SICAP on the ground.
I am delighted to have secured a 10 per cent increase for SICAP for 2022, the largest increase since the programme was launched. This represents a €4 million increase and provides for the creation of a significant number of job places for new community work on the ground in communities across Ireland. It will allow for engagement with groups that are currently under-represented on the programme, including Travellers, Roma, people with a disability and new communities. This will have a positive impact for our communities in 2022 and beyond.
I review the level of funding of all programmes under my remit each year as part of the budgetary process and it is my intention to continue to prioritise funding to LDCs under SICAP.
