Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The deprivation index to which the Deputy is referring measures the relative affluence or disadvantage of areas within the State. It is used by my Department and other Departments and State agencies as an aid to direct funding to where it is most needed.

Within the 2016 index, County Wexford was classified as marginally below average, with a score of −4.8. This is the third lowest score of the 26 counties classified. As with all counties, small areas within the region ranged from very affluent to very disadvantaged. The small areas in County Wexford that are classified as very disadvantaged are, for the most part, located around larger urban areas, such as Wexford town, Enniscorthy and New Ross.

The social inclusion and community activation programme, or SICAP, is the key national intervention for the hardest-to-reach populations in disadvantaged areas. My Department has allocated a total budget of €1.7 million to County Wexford under SICAP for 2018. Given that the total budget for the State is just over €38 million, County Wexford's allocation reflects its relative disadvantage.

The SICAP programme is delivered by programme implementers, led locally by local community development committees, LCDCs, under the remit of local authorities, and overseen at national level by my Department.

The new SICAP for the period 2018 to 2022 was the subject of a public procurement process conducted by LCDCs. The programme has commenced in 47 of the 51 lot areas nationally. Wexford is one of four lot areas where no tender was awarded and a negotiated procedure is now under way between the LCDC and the programme implementer.

In areas where a negotiated procedure is taking place, my Department has extended the previous SICAP contract with the LCDC for a period of three months from 1 January 2018. The LCDCs are also extending their contracts with the existing programme implementers to ensure that service delivery in the relevant areas is not affected.

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