John Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

SICAP funding underpins a range of programmes dealing with disadvantaged children, families, young people and communities as well as low-income workers and so forth. We know at whom the programme is targeted.

The Minister indicated loosely that he will see what is available during the budgetary process. That was not exactly what I asked. I asked him to do it the other way around. What is the level of need? What level of funding would be required to deal with the level of deprivation we have across the programmes underpinned by SICAP? I say this seriously because several programmes dealing with our disadvantaged communities are not seeing annual increases in line with other Departments. Our disadvantaged communities are not seeing the level of funding increase.

Let us consider the Minister's funding. What was known as the revitalising areas by planning, investment and development or RAPID programme has become the community enhancement programme. We need to target funding where there is deprivation, drug abuse and issues relating to our most disadvantaged communities, but funding for these areas is not increasing. Rather than simply engage in the budgetary process, I am asking the Minister to review the adequacy of funding of the programmes.

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