Written Answers Nos. 951-954
951. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding streams that are available to a group (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33665/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI was pleased to be in a position at the 2021 SuperValu TidyTowns awards ceremony to announce a funding package of €1.5 million to support TidyTowns groups in preparing for the 2022 competition. This brings the total funding allocated to TidyTowns groups to €6.7 million since my Department was established in 2017.
To qualify, a TidyTowns group needed to have entered the competition any year over the previous three years. I understand the group referred to by the Deputy last entered the competition in 2013 and as a consequence did not qualify.
My Department also provides a wide range of investment programmes to support the development of rural areas, including through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the LEADER Programme, the Town & Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the CLÁR programme.
I would encourage the Group to engage with their local authority or LEADER Local Action Group to discuss the investment programme that is most suitable to their needs.
952. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the State boards that are under her remit; the details of each State board; the details of all the persons who are currently on each board, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33838/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe agencies under my Department's aegis are Water Safety Ireland (WSI), Pobal, the Western Development Commission (WDC) and the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA). In addition, an appellate body, the Charity Appeals Tribunal, was provided for in the Charities Act of 2009.
The details of each State board and the details of all the persons who are currently on each board are provided in the table below.
|
Public Body |
Details of each State board |
Board Members |
|
Western Development Commission |
The Western Development Commission (WDC) is a statutory body that was established in 1997 to promote social and economic development in the Western Region (the counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare). |
Gerry Finn, Chairperson Henry McGarvey Mary Corcoran John Kelleher Christy Loftus Mary McKenna Sandra Divilly Mary Coyne Aisling Meehan Audrey Crummy Peter Hynes Edmund Jennings |
|
Water Safety Ireland |
Water Safety Ireland is the statutory, voluntary body and registered charity established to promote water safety in Ireland. |
Clare McGrath, Chairperson John Claffey Paul Devins Leo Mahon Simon McGarrigle Paul Burke Philip Keleghan Christine Moloney Dervla Quinn Natalie McGuinness Melanie Cullen Mary Plunkett Tom O’Mahony |
|
Charities Regulator Authority. |
The Charities Regulator was established in 2014 and is an independent authority. It is Ireland's national statutory regulator for charitable organisations. |
Patricia Cronin Patrick Hopkins, Chairperson Rosemary Keogh Tom Costello Geraldine Smith Lorraine Lally Cathy Holahan Tony Ward Nicola Keogh Maire McMahon Martin Sisk David Brady Ercus Stewart |
|
Charity Appeals Tribunal |
The Charity Appeals Tribunal (the “Tribunal”) is a statutory body established to hear and adjudicate on appeals against certain decisions of the Charities Regulatory Authority (the “Authority”) pursuant to section 45 of the Charities Act, 2009 (the “Act”). 1. Appeals to the Tribunal The Charity Appeals Tribunal Rules (S.I. 209 of 2018) commenced on 4 July 2018. |
Patrick O'Connor (Chairperson) Bill Holohan Carol Fawsitt Karen Horgan Nuala E. Dockry |
|
Pobal |
Pobal works on behalf of Government, and in conjunction with communities and local agencies, to support social inclusion and local and community development. Pobal does this by managing funding and providing support for circa 38 programmes in the areas of Social Inclusion and Equality, Inclusive Employment and Enterprise, and Early Learning and Care. |
Rosarii Mannion, Chairperson Ann Hanley Ciarán Reid Donna Creaven Molly Buckley Tom Lavin Catherine Lynch Patricia Ball O’Keeffe Fintan Breen Iseult White Dr. Breda McTaggart John Curran Niall Garvey Derville Brennan Sean Sheridan Pat Bennett |
953. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total number of persons who are employed by her Department; the number who are currently working remotely; and the estimated number of persons in her Department who ordinarily worked from home prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. [33981/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017.
I can confirm that the total number of persons who are currently employed by my Department is 174. 167 of these are currently working remotely for, in the main, a maximum of three days per week pending the roll-out of my Department's Blended Working Policy in September next. There is flexibility built into the current arrangement to ensure that business needs continue to be met.
I can confirm that there were no staff in my Department who ordinarily worked from home before the Covid-19 Pandemic.
954. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his attention has been drawn to the possibility of the closure of immigrant services (details supplied) due to the lack of funding for the support officer; if the funding required of €20,000.00 will be sanctioned as a matter of urgency given the importance of this work and the new challenges arising from the intake of refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34099/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is currently providing a range of supports to assist organisations with the challenges arising from the arrival of those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
I have been advised that the service in question is housed within a facility that is currently supported under my Department's Community Services Programme (CSP). This programme supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model by providing an annual co-funding contribution of €19,033 for each fulltime equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, provides €32,000 towards the cost of employing a manager.
The CSP supported facility in Kilkenny is currently in receipt of a CSP funding contribution of €57,099 for three Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) positions during 2022.
In order to apply for funding under the CSP Programme, I would encourage the immigrant service to prepare a proposal to be submitted to the designated Pobal Development Coordinator via the existing CSP funded organisation in the facility. Pobal administers the CSP programme on behalf of my Department and they appraise all applications for additional funded posts, for onward submission to my Department for consideration.
