Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 February 2021
973. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she and her Department continue to address issues of urban and rural isolation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5767/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAddressing the issue of individual isolation in communities has become more important than ever before due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue of isolation in rural and urban communities cuts across the work of a number of Departments, and this is reflected in ongoing work on community policing, rural transport and social inclusion, among other areas.
Many of my Department's policies and funding programmes aim to address isolation issues in communities, and also deliver benefits by responding to the challenges facing vulnerable individuals due to COVID-19.
The National Social Enterprise Policy aims to enable social enterprises increase their social, environmental and economic impact. Many social enterprises are based in rural or isolated areas and provide services to communities that may not otherwise be available. They also operate in our cities and other urban areas, often providing services to disadvantaged communities.
Physical and social isolation can have a significant impact on people living in rural areas. My Department is finalising a new rural development policy for the next five years, which will build on the progress achieved through the Action Plan for Rural Development, which concluded in 2019. The policy will seek to strengthen and build resilience in our rural communities and will identify policy measures for delivery in order to achieve these objectives.
Other key interventions include funding the Seniors Alert Scheme, which enables older people to live securely, with peace of mind, in their homes through the provision of personal monitored alarms, ensuring contact is maintained with those who are vulnerable. In addition, as part of the Department’s COVID-19 Action Plan , increased support was provided for older people through our funding partnership with ALONE for their crisis telephone support line and follow-on practical supports for those who need it.
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is Ireland’s primary social inclusion funding intervention, delivered locally by Local Development Companies (LDCs) to help those in the greatest need access supports to enable participation in communities. SICAP workers have extensive local connections and in-depth knowledge of available resources and supports and are continuing to work to ensure the emerging needs of their localities are responded to.
Local Development Companies (LDCs) have put in place various measures to ensure SICAP supports continue to be delivered and that vulnerable people continue to be supported throughout the COVID-19 crises, examples as follows:
Online supports are delivered via telephone, email, Zoom, etc., with LDCs providing additional support to individuals with limited access to technology, in the form providing them with laptops/tablets and upskilling them in their usage.
- LDCs that operate a “friendly call” service to elderly people saw an increase in demand for the service with some LDCs mobilizing local community groups to become involved in making regular contact with older, vulnerable isolated people during COVID.
- LDCs supported an increase in demand for Meals on Wheels services and foodbanks, particularly for those not able to travel to shops and those experiencing food poverty.
- Other responses included Pharmacy & Shopping Services; Employment and Self-Employment Supports; Supports to Community Groups; Online Training; Health, Well-Being and Social Prescribing; Mental Health Supports.
- My Department offered every flexibility to the Local Development Companies (LDCs) which freed up SICAP workers to focus on a community response to the crisis. Given their presence in local communities, the LDC response to the crisis was rapid and widespread with many of their 170,000 service users reached in the early days and weeks of the crisis.
Volunteering is also very much at the forefront of initiatives of this nature and the Department will continue to support volunteering both by the provision of funding and other supports, and the implementation of the recently published National Volunteering Strategy.
Broadband Connection Points (BCPs) funding will ensure that remote areas, particularly those that are likely to wait longest for connections, are provided with access to high-speed broadband in their communities while waiting for the National Broadband Plan roll-out to reach them.
The 2020 Town and Village Renewal Scheme (T&V) was tailored to help rural towns and villages respond to the challenges presented by COVID-19. The 2020 Scheme included two separate funding Measures – an Accelerated Measure and a Standard Measure - to enable towns and villages to tackle the short and medium-term impacts of COVID-19. Under the two measures, some €25.8 million was approved for a total of 510 projects across the country.
I will continue to work with my Government colleagues to monitor the adequacy of these supports to address isolation during the coming months.
