Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 July 2022
919. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has considered the pre-Budget submission of an organisation (details supplied) and its request for an increase in core grant funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35687/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 420 community-based organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model, by providing an annual contribution of €19,033 for each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, €32,000 towards the cost of employing a manager.
The CSP contribution is not aligned to the minimum wage and does not meet the full salary cost of supported posts. The contribution must be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources, for example, from income received from the public use of their facilities and services.
There are currently over 1,700 FTE positions supported under the CSP. It should be noted that there are a number of CSP supported organisations currently in a position to pay their staff the living wage rate of €12.90 per hour.
An independent review of the CSP was undertaken by Indecon International Economic Consultants, on behalf of my Department, with the final report published in September 2020. Since the publication of the review report, my Department and Pobal, who administer the programme on behalf of my Department, have been working on a restructuring of the programme, in conjunction with a Consultative Group that is representative of stakeholders, of which the named organisation is a member. As part of this ongoing work, the rates of funding under the scheme are being reviewed.
My Department have in recent days met with the Consultative Group and have provided them with a detailed proposal on a revised funding rate allocation model and proposed new funding rates. Representative members of the Consultative Group are currently considering these proposals and will meet again with Department officials in the coming days. The submission received from the organisation, along with all of the feedback received from the Consultative Group will be considered in preparing my Department's budget requirements for the CSP Programme in 2023.
