Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for the question. I can confirm that the Department of Rural and Community Development has had no involvement in the establishment of a domestic violence refuge in Carlow. I understand that, in the main, domestic violence issues are a matter for the Minister for Justice and are legislated for in the Domestic Violence Act 2018. My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. A key objective of all of the Department's programmes is that they are targeted at those sectors, areas and individuals most in need and provide effective responses to ongoing and future economic and social challenges.

While the Department has no direct role in domestic violence matters, it does provide some funding to organisations that offer support to victims of domestic violence through the scheme to support national organisations. This includes Women's Aid, Rape Crisis Network Ireland and the National Women's Council of Ireland. The Department also administers the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, which is the country's primary social inclusion intervention. Funding of €220 million has been provided for this programme for the period from 2018 to 2023. The aim of the programme is to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting communities and individuals using community development approaches, engagement and collaboration.

Of some relevance is the Department's community services programme, which supports community organisations to deliver local services and create employment opportunities for disadvantaged people through a social enterprise model. The programme provides a funding contribution to over 2,000 positions in over 400 community organisations throughout the country. The Department is providing SICAP funding in excess of the €220 million mentioned. This year, €39 million was allocated to the programme. I am delighted to say that an additional €4 million has been secured for SICAP in budget 2022. This represents a 10% budget increase for the programme, resulting in an additional 60 community workers nationwide.

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