Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)

I am sharing time with the Minister of State, Deputy Dillon. Is mian liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil leo siúd a dhéanann ár bpobail a fheabhsú agus a chothú, agus a chuireann deiseanna ar fáil sna pobail sin. Tá €260 milliún sa bhuiséad forbartha comhphobail. Baineann forbairt comhphobail le duine nó gnó a chuireann athraithe i bhfeidhm ar son leas na ndaoine.

I welcome the budget for the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Department of Transport. I particularly welcome the allocation for community development, which is my area of responsibility, working with the Minister, Deputy Calleary. A budget of €260 million out of total €611 million illustrates the importance of community development to tackle some of the issues Deputy Healy spoke about in his contribution. This significant investment will ensure we continue to enhance delivery across a range of schemes, which are so important for communities right across our country. The community development budget is an accentuation of the programme for Government commitments and will show that we in government, and in Fine Gael in particular, are delivering on our programme for Government commitments.

I pay tribute to the officials in the Department of community, rural and Gaeltacht affairs and community development for the work they did, along with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, in bringing this budget through. A total of €74 million will be spent on the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, and other social inclusion supports. SICAP is critical for supporting social inclusion and addressing disadvantage in many communities. Members of the House who know and work with SICAP will know the importance and impact of it. I am delighted the Department has received the level of funding we have in the budget.

The community services programme, CSP, is another vital programme which will help to deliver services in disadvantaged communities. I am delighted that we have secured an additional €4 million for the scheme next year, bringing funding for this important scheme to €59 million for 2026. The CSP supports more than 400 community-based organisations, with more than 3,000 associated jobs.

I make reference to the PEACEPLUS programme. My Department delivers a range of community supports for this cross-Border scheme. The budget will provide almost €4 million in additional funding for this area, with total funding of €11 million in the next calendar year. I welcome the revitalisation and the re-enactment of the RAPID programme. I am glad we have secured €5 million in capital funding next year for the development of a new RAPID programme to revitalise our most disadvantaged areas through co-ordinated planning and investment. Along with that, the Department has secured an addition €3 million in funding for the community centre investment fund, which will bring total funding available next year to €20 million. This will support the small grant scheme and the development of new community centres where they are most needed. Along with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, I welcome the significant investment in the rural regeneration and development fund and the LEADER programme. In addition, the town and village renewal scheme, the CLÁR programme and the local improvement scheme have been increased by up to €17 million for this year as well as the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, which is very important.

In the time remaining, I make reference to the Department of Transport, where I am responsible for rural transport. I am pleased we have secured extra funding for the rural transport programme. With the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, we have secured €940 million to put PSO services on a stable and more permanent footing. I am conscious there is huge demand for new services and new routes and that will be looked at in the overall context of the budget. I will conclude by saying I am proud that, as a Minister of State in the Department of Transport, we see construction on the M28 in Cork, plans for the M20 progressing and progress on the much-needed double tracking of lines in the Cork commuter rail area.

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