John Moloney (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I apologise to Deputy Chris Andrews that the Minister was unavailable to take this matter. As he will be aware, the issue of social isolation is not a new phenomenon, nor, in light of its broad-ranging impact, is it one in respect of which the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs has sole responsibility. I am sure the Deputy will accept that the causes of social isolation can be varied and include poverty, unemployment, disability, illness, educational difficulties and substance abuse, to mention but a few. Accordingly, many Departments and agencies, including the HSE, the Garda, the Department of Education and Science and local authorities have responsibilities that touch directly or indirectly on this matter. In addition, there are numerous voluntary and community agencies with specific or broader remits that are available to those who experience social isolation for one reason or another.

The remit of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources includes support for communities, irrespective of location or socio-economic development. However, its programmes, individually and collectively, focus on communities, particularly those that are vulnerable, disadvantaged or under threat. The key principle underlying these activities is the provision of support that enables communities to identify and address problems in their areas. In order to be effective in this work, the Department seeks to provide a co-ordinated approach not only across the range of measures for which it has direct responsibility, but also with other Departments and State agencies.

The Department operates a wide range of measures, programmes and schemes which support disadvantaged communities. These include the local development social inclusion programme, LDSIP, the community development programme, CDP and the RAPID programme. Some of the programmes operated by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs may also indirectly impact on issues relating to social isolation. I refer, for example, to the community services programme and the programme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations.

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources also provides general support to the voluntary sector and supports volunteering. In the time available, it is not possible to give a comprehensive description of all these programmes. However, I will provide a brief outline of the LDSIP and the CDP.

The LDSIP aims to counter disadvantage and promote equality and social and economic inclusion through the provision of funding and support to urban partnerships and integrated companies. The LDSIP comprises measures that are designed to counter disadvantage and it specifically promotes equality and social and economic inclusion. The programme is implemented by 37 integrated local development companies and 16 urban partnerships. These are not-for-profit organisations which target the areas of greatest need throughout the country in order to provide an area-based response to long-term unemployment and promote social inclusion across three sub-measures, namely, services for the unemployed, community development and community-based youth initiatives.

Under the LDSIP, the companies work with specific groups in Irish society including people with disabilities, migrant workers and their families, lone parents, farming smallholders, members of the Traveller community, the elderly and youths at risk, all of whom experience specific forms of marginalisation and, in some cases, social isolation. The companies tackle issues of social exclusion and work with a cross-section of State agencies and local bodies in their respective areas.

The CDP provides financial assistance to some 180 community development projects in recognised disadvantaged areas nationwide, in both urban and rural settings. It also provides support for self-help work to specific target groups that experience disadvantage, for example, lone parents, members of the Traveller community, people with disabilities and elderly individuals living in isolation. The programme is designed to reduce social exclusion by targeting support at disadvantaged and socially excluded communities in order to improve their capacity to benefit from social and economic development.

These programmes and those operated by the Department Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs provide real remedies for those experiencing social isolation. However, this is not to say that we are complacent, particularly in the context of the challenges we face with regard to the public finances. The LDSIP and the CDP are being redesigned in order that we can be sure they provide real value for money and actually provide measurable improvements in the lives of the communities they are designed to serve.

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