Ms Bairbre Nic Aongusa:

I thank the Chair. The Deputy's first question was about Our Rural Future and the Department's approach to joined-up thinking in relation to community development. Our Rural Future is a whole-of-government strategy bringing all the Departments and their functions together. It is an ambitious policy for rural Ireland and focuses on optimising opportunities for all individuals in rural communities and promotes inclusivity and social cohesion. It was developed after an extensive consultation process and it does recognise the key needs of people working and living in rural areas and includes measures to support people with disabilities to have greater access to public transport and other services including digital connectivity and increased employment opportunities. She mentioned the lack of internet in rural areas and the rollout of high-speed broadband will enable people with disabilities who live in rural areas to get access to digital services and increased employment opportunities. Our Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is attending a national hub network conference today that is promoting remote working hubs which will be another opportunity for people, including people with disabilities, to work in rural areas.

The Deputy also mentioned funding for local groups such as drama groups and so on. Last Friday the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development, Deputy Joe O'Brien, announced a community support fund which provides €10 million to be made available through the local community development committees, LCDCs, at local level to support local community groups to purchase additional facilities on the one hand, and also to support them with costs such as insurance and increased energy bills and so on. That funding is being distributed through the local authorities and the LCDCs.

Finally, Deputy Murnane O'Connor mentioned public libraries. Since 2019 our Department has allocated €3 million under the Dormant Accounts Fund for enhancing library supports for improved and inclusive initiatives including initiatives for people with disabilities. This has supported public libraries in providing modern equipment such as assistive technology, which can help a person with a disability perform activities that may not otherwise be possible. Some examples of the resources we have provided funding for are assisted products such as hearing loops for the hard of hearing; C-Pens and headphones for the visually impaired; wheelchair-accessible shelving; customisable workstations and wayfinding through local libraries. I know our colleagues from the CCMA are on the call and might be able to provide further information on what has been done at local level.

I will conclude by saying that all of our work in community development in the Department, including our flagship fund the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, is directed at inclusive communities and in particular at supporting marginalised and disadvantaged groups. People with disabilities are one of the thematic groups that can be focused on in implementing SICAP at local level.