Maura Hopkins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If it is okay to mention something about RAPID funding, I wish to highlight its importance. I have direct involvement with a community group in Roscommon, and RAPID funding has been really important in helping us to apply for CCTV. The point about RAPID funding is that in many ways it can supplement further grant assistance. It is certainly great to see that money has been ring-fenced for that.

Regarding the community services programme, I wish to compliment the work that has been done. I recently visited Triest Press Limited in Roscommon town. It received €70,000 this year under the community services programme. That is very important in terms of the work it does supporting people with intellectual disability. Triest Press is very much dependent on that financial support, so it is really important we continue to increase the budget in coming years in order to support, as the Minister has said, such social enterprises.

I want to ask one question about SICAP, and I ask it with a rural social men's group in mind. From speaking with different community groups, I have the sense that with SICAP we need to ensure the maximum benefit for the maximum number of people. Perhaps the Minister could clarify the throughput of people. Perhaps there is an overemphasis on numbers fitting certain criteria rather than on the benefit that accrues from people being involved continuously. I will give a brief example. Roscommon, I think, is the only county that has social rural men's groups. These people are very dependent on that group. They attend it every week. There are three groups around the county. For example, a number of men have written a book recently on their experiences of life, etc. The group is really important in meeting their needs. This goes back to what Deputy Collins mentioned in that they are predominantly farmers. Because they have attended over a number of years, they do not seem to meet the criteria. That seems to be the best vehicle for them in terms of trying to secure funding. I would just like a bit of clarity. The numbers may not be high, but the impact it is having on these people is significant. I am probably not explaining the matter very well, but perhaps the Minister can clarify the matter. It is the throughput of numbers versus the quality.