Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 June 2018
1188. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to increase the support funding for a community services company (details supplied) in 2018 and 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25043/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Services Programme (CSP) supports around 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. CSP funding is provided as a fixed annual co-funding contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions, with €32,000 per annum provided for a manager and €19,033 per annum for each full-time equivalent (FTE) position.
The centre in question currently receives a CSP contribution towards one manager and 10 FTEs. It is also approved for transition funding for the three years 2016 to 2018 to help it meet the increased cost in the minimum wage in previous years, and has received one-to-one supports and training in 2017 and 2018 to help it develop its financial sustainability in the longer-term. There are no plans to provide additional support funding to the centre, or other CSP funded organisations, at this time.
That said, my Department will commence a review of the CSP later this year. The review will consider, among other things, how the programme fits with overall Government priorities as well as my Department’s other community programmes and policy objectives. Importantly, it will also examine the existing funding structure as well as options for matching supports and programme requirements to the nature and scale of the organisations and services being supported by the programme.
