Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2022
878. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will advise the funding streams that are available for organisations which have been awarded charitable status; if she will provide information on the opening and closing dates for each in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11630/22]
View answerMy Department delivers a wide range of measures to support urban and rural communities. Those supports include the following programmes and schemes:
CLÁR 2022 opened on the 24 Feb 2022. It is a targeted investment programme which provides funding for small-scale infrastructural projects in rural areas that have suffered the greatest levels of population decline. The Measures being funded under the 2022 CLÁR Programme are; Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities & Amenities; Measure 2: Mobility, Cancer Care and Community First Responders Transport and Measure 3: “Our Islands”. Full details of the 2022 programme are available at www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/91ba52-clar/?section=2022-clar-measures.
My Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP), currently supports over 420 community organisations, some of which have been awarded charitable status, to provide employment opportunities and local services through a social enterprise model. My Department and Pobal are currently working on the restructuring of the programme, following the independent review of the CSP, undertaken by Indecon International Economic Consultants and are engaging with a Consultative Group representative of stakeholders on the matter. In the interim, all existing CSP contracts are extended up to the end of December 2022. Pending the transition to the new restructured programme, the scheme is currently closed to new applications through the expression of interest process. It is anticipated that the Programme will open calls to address identified gaps in service delivery in 2022, however, I am unable, at this stage, to elaborate on the timing of potential calls, as the matter is currently under consideration. Funding for additional new entrants will be considered in light of available budgets, during the year.
My Department continues to support social enterprises in a number of different ways including through the annual €2.3m Dormant Accounts funded Social Enterprise Measure. I plan to make further announcements on new supports later this year in line with policy commitments.
My Department’s Community & Voluntary Supports programme provides a cohesive framework of support for the community and voluntary sector. €5.5m has been provided in 2022 under this programme to support 29 Volunteer Centres, a number of national organisations such as Volunteer Ireland, and to support the implementation of the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025. Funding under this framework is provided to strengthen and support volunteering, to facilitate and foster volunteerism in Ireland and to build a support structure to develop volunteering locally. It enables Volunteer Centres in each county to play a central role in facilitating and supporting the development of volunteering in their areas.
Funding has also been provided to The Community Volunteer Programme. This programme is co-ordinated by Volunteer Ireland and the network of Volunteer Centres with support from the local authorities. The programme will enhance current volunteering capacity for forthcoming events and potential emergencies.
LEADER is a multi-annual programme which is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) around the country. Funding for organisations referred to by the Deputy may be available through the LEADER Programme. The Transitional LEADER Programme came into effect from 1 April 2021 and will run to the end of 2022. A total of €70 million is being made available over this programming period. In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, it must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved Local Development Strategy for the relevant LEADER area, and it must comply with the Operating Rules and EU Regulations in place for the programme. Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact their relevant LAG, through its Implementing Partner, to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. The list of all Local Action Groups, their Implementing Partners and their contact details, is available on the Gov.ie website at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c45498-local-action-groups.
The Town and Village Scheme (T&V) is one of a series of national and local support measures designed to rejuvenate small rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Local Authorities were invited to submit up to 8 applications per Local Authority area under the 2021 T&V Scheme. The 2022 scheme is not yet announced for applications to be made.
The new Connected Hubs Call will support and complement the development of the National Hub Network, which is a key action of the Rural Development Policy - Our Rural Future and the National Remote Working Strategy – Making Remote Work. The Connected Hubs Call aims to add additional capacity to the existing remote working infrastructure in Ireland by upgrading existing hubs and Broadband Connection Points (BCPs), while continuing to support COVID-19 mitigation measures. The Connected Hubs Call will provide owners, operators and managers of existing remote working facilities and BCPs with the opportunity to identify and develop their own solutions in consultation with local authorities, local business interests (e.g. Chambers of Commerce), Town Teams (or similar bodies) and community groups as appropriate. Deadline for Applications – 6pm on April 4th 2022. More information on the scheme and how to apply can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/service/16b47-connected-hubs-fund/.
Projects approved for funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) are large scale, ambitious projects that have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. Applications to the RRDF must be led by a State-funded body, however other organisations can partner in an application. The fourth call for Category 1 projects was announced in December 2021 and the closing date for applications is 29th April 2022. Further information on the RRDF and details on how to apply are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/c77144-rural-regeneration-and-development-fund/.
The €9 million Community Activities Fund will support groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities. Groups will also be able to use the funding to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase equipment such as tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers, canopies and training equipment. The once-off fund will be allocated under the Department’s Community Enhancement Programme and is administered locally by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs). Applications were accepted until the 25 February 2022.
The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) provides capital funding to community groups in disadvantaged areas across Ireland. The CEP is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and provides grant funding for communities to enhance their local facilities. It is intended that the CEP will open again in Q2 2022. The CEP is administered by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in each Local Authority area, on behalf of my Department.
The €15 million 2022 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) will see the development of natural amenities such as our mountains, lakes, beaches, bogs, walkways, greenways and blueways. The Scheme, will place a particular focus on developing adventure tourism in Rural Ireland. It will support activities such as hiking, mountaineering, kayaking, swimming and cycling, which were especially popular among families throughout the Pandemic. In this case applicants eligible are Local Authorities and Local Development Companies, who must work with local communities to identify projects. Full details of the application process are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/216398/f2177cba-177b-49c3-97e0-67b3cacb92f4.pdf#page=null.
The Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national community and voluntary organisations that demonstrate good governance and deliver services and supports that have a focus on one or more of the following: addressing poverty, social exclusion and promoting equality. The Scheme is administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department. The current three year scheme commenced on 1 July 2019 and will cease on 30 June 2022. A total of €18.8 million has been allocated under the current scheme to a total of 74 organisations. A new iteration of the scheme will commence in July 2022. The application portal for this new iteration opened on 10 February 2022, with a closing date of 24 February 2022. Funding for the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO Scheme) has increased from €5.9 million to €6.7 million in 2022.
Groups or organisations qualify for support schemes or programmes provided by my Department where they meet the requisite eligibility criteria. Groups should check my Departments website for scheme announcements and regarding closing dates for applications at gov.ie.
Ongoing dialogue is maintained by my Department with rural and urban stakeholders in order to identify and respond to issues impacting on individuals and communities. I will also continue to collaborate with my Government colleagues and will monitor the issues which impact our urban and rural communities in order to respond to emerging needs.
