Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will cite a couple of sentences. I sent out a survey to a number of community centres. One response struck me, that of Huntstown in Castleknock in my constituency. The centre stated that its reserve funds had been depleted and its traded income was down by more than 80%. Along with that traded income, the CSP grant received was used to bring people up to the minimum wage. This centre is concerned because, if it does not have a reserve fund and income coming in, the CSP funding will not be able to meet the minimum wage. The centre would like to pay the living wage, but it cannot. It is fearful that if there is no guarantee that CSP funding will at least help to match the minimum wage, it will have to let people go in 2021. This concern is shared across the board because funding from the CSP is €9.38 per individual yet the funding for the minimum wage is nowhere near that.

People are asking me questions about this issue. Will the Minister of State give community centres some clarity about 2021? I am sorry, but I am not seeing much clarity right now.

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