Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 September 2022
136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will mainstream multi-annual funding and ensure adequate long-term funding levels are provided for community services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45133/22]
View answerMy Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP), currently supports over 430 community organisations to provide employment opportunities and the delivery of a diverse range of local services, through a social enterprise model.
The CSP contribution is a fixed annual contribution towards the overall cost of the employees with funding of €19,033 currently provided for each full time equivalent (FTE) position and €32,000 for a manager, where warranted.
The CSP contribution must be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources, for example, from income received from the public use of their facilities and services.
Following an independent review of the CSP, the programme is currently being redesigned. As part of the restructuring process I have recently approved a new funding rate allocation model for the CSP programme based on three weighted criteria, as an alternative to the current flat rate payment model. This will provide a sustainable funding model for the CSP Programme, taking account of the earning potential of the funded organisations.
The revised funding rates to apply from January 2023 under the restructured programme have not yet been finalised. It is anticipated that all existing organisations will transition to the new programme in January 2023 following an application process which will open in the coming weeks.
