Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 October 2019
192. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the annual allocations over the 2016 to 2020 period to fund initiatives (details supplied) in each scheme; the other schemes under his remit; and the budget 2020 funding allocations to the initiative in each respective scheme. [43791/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017 to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. The details of budget allocations at programme level are published each year in the relevant Revised Estimates Volume.
With regard to the programmes and schemes identified, LEADER, which forms part of Ireland's Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 has a total budget of €250 million over the programming period. Since 2017, the following allocations were made in the annual estimates process in respect of this programme : €30 million (2017), €35 million (2018), €30 million (2019).
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme 2018-2022 (SICAP) is a €190m, five year national programme. The annual allocation is therefore €38 million per annum for the period of the programme. For the 2016 and 2017 period, the average annual allocation was just under €38m.
The Scheme to Support National Organisations provides multiannual core funding to national organisations in the Community and Voluntary sector. Allocations are made to organisations over a three year period. €18.8m has been allocated to the current scheme which commenced July this year and will run to July 2022. The average annual allocation will therefore be €6.3 million. The previous iteration ran from 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2019 with an allocation of €16.7 million.
The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) supports small scale capital projects that enhance community facilities for individuals and communities that are impacted by disadvantage. It was launched in 2018 with an initial allocation of €4.5 million. This was subsequently increased to €13 million, with €0.5 million of this ring-fenced for Men’s Sheds funding. This year, €4.5 million was again allocated to the programme, with further funding of €0.5 million Men’s and Women’s Sheds made available through Dormant Accounts Funding.
The overall level of funding for the Department will increase from €291 million in 2019 to €308 million in 2020. This will facilitate the continued delivery of key programmes for rural Ireland and communities across the country; and provide an additional €17 million to support priority areas.
Exact allocations in respect of 2020 will fall to be considered under the Revised Estimates 2020 to be published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in December. It is my intention, however, to increase the LEADER allocation from €30 million in 2019 to €40 million in 2020 to reflect increased drawdown under this programme. I also envisage that an additional €1.5 million will be provided across SICAP and the Community Services Programme to provide targeted supports for disadvantaged communities.
