Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2021
110. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the Programme for Government commitment to expand the Dublin north east inner city model to other comparative areas experiencing disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60223/21]
View answerUnder the NEIC Initiative, my Department is providing €6.5m towards the regeneration of the Dublin North East Inner City area in 2021, to help ensure that the recommendations of the Mulvey Report and the actions contained in the NEIC Strategic Plan 2020 - 2022 are implemented. Funding of €7.5m will be provided in 2021.
It is also worth noting that the Dublin North East Inner City area and other disadvantaged areas across Ireland also receive other supports from my Department. For example, my Department funds the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme, or SICAP, a six year national programme with funding of over €200m, delivered locally, to help those in the greatest need. SICAP provides vital support to those community groups and individuals and its budget for 2022 has increased by 10% to approximately €44m.
In addition, under the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) my Department provides funding so that community groups can avail of small grants to improve facilities in their areas.
For both SICAP and the CEP, the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) in each area manages the programme at a local level to ensure the funding is used to address disadvantage.
Local Community Development Committees play a key role in tackling issues in disadvantaged areas, bringing a more coordinated, whole-of-Government approach to local and community development. The LCDC structure provides a useful mechanism to ensure that local knowledge is used to target funding to where it is needed most in a particular area. They are best placed to ensure that state funding is channelled to those areas and communities most in need.
I am conscious of the Programme for Government commitment to expand the Dublin North East Inner City Model and my officials are currently working to consider how this can best be achieved, while considering the important role that LCDCs can play in this regard.
The Government has a clear commitment to ensuring that we learn from the North East Inner City Initiative. We want to build upon our work there and ensure that we apply that learning appropriately in the context of other communities facing social and economic challenges.
