Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019
2617. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration will be given to providing funding for a project (details supplied) in County Donegal to help carry out operational costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32374/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department delivers a wide range of programmes and schemes to rural and urban communities, one of which is the Community Services Programme (CSP).
The CSP currently supports more than 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Funding is provided as a fixed annual contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions, with more than €46m available under the programme in 2019.
Qualifying organisations must be social enterprises capable of generating income from their activities. The CSP contribution does not meet the full salary cost of supported posts and must be co-funded by organisations from other sources, for example, from income received from the public use of facilities and services.
My Department accepts Expression of Interests (EOI) under the programme on an ongoing basis. The purpose of the EOI appraisal process is to identify organisations that are, or have the potential to be, eligible under the CSP. It ensures organisations that may be ineligible are not subjected unduly to a full business planning and application process. Funding for eligible organisations is considered upon completion of the business planning process and in light of available budgets each year.
If the organisation in question believes it might be a suitable fit under the CSP, it can download a CSP Expression of Interest form for submission to the Department via the following link
https://www.gov.ie/en/service/f8f93d-apply-for-community-service-programme.
