Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2020
788. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of social enterprises that received funding in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020; and the amount of funding that each received. [13103/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince the establishment of my Department in 2017, specific supports for social enterprises have been provided through the Social Enterprise Measure of the Dormant Accounts Fund. These supports include small capital grants and funding to organisations to deliver training and mentoring to social enterprises.
Small capital grants funding has been provided to approximately 300 organisations, while 14 organisations are being funded to deliver training and mentoring supports to up to 400 social enterprise participants. The total amount allocated under this Measure since 2017 is €6.555 million. Details of the organisations funded under the Measure are available on my Department’s pages on the Gov.ie website.
Funding is also provided to social enterprises under for the Social Enterprise Development Fund, which was established in 2018 by Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland. The Deputy received details of social enterprises supported under the Social Enterprise Development Fund in a reply to Parliamentary Question No. 940 on 16th June 2020 (Ref. 10596/20).
My Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP) is based on a social enterprise model, whereby community companies and co-operatives are expected to generate a traded income from the delivery of services. This programme supports approximately 400 community companies and co-operatives at any given time. Further information on CSP and details of the projects which it supports are available on Pobal’s website at https://www.pobal.ie/programmes/community-services-programme-csp/ . The 2020 budget for CSP is approximately €46 million.
Social enterprises can also benefit from funding from my Department under a number of other programmes, including the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and LEADER. These programmes are not exclusive to social enterprises so comprehensive data is not captured on their level of participation on these programmes. However, the information provided above should provide the Deputy with a good indication of the extent of funding provided to social enterprises by my Department.
