Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 December 2021
344. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his Department's progress on the expansion of support for social farming programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60218/21]
View answerI am a strong supporter of the Social Farming model and will continue to offer support to the initiative as it does a tremendous job in driving inclusion.
My Department provides funding under the Rural Innovation & Development Fund (RIDF) for the development of the national Social Farming Network known as "Social Farming Ireland". In addition, funding is also provided for the development of a number of social farming model projects across Ireland.
The organisations currently under contract to provide the services and their associated funding for 2021 are as follows:
National Social Farming Network:
- Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG - Social Farming Network - €400,000.
Social Farming Model Contracts:
- Leitrim Integrated Development Company CLG – €100,000
- Down Syndrome Irl (Cork Branch) – €92,485
- South Kerry Development Partnership – €100,000
- IRD Duhallow – €84,250
A similar level of funding will be provided by my Department in 2022 for the extension of all of the above contracts. It is also my understanding that there are additional streams of funding available from other agencies for social farming placements.
