John Ellis (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the services available to local communities under his Department's new community services programme; the funding that has been provided for the programme in the abridged Estimates volume 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42641/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department took over the operation of the Social Economy Programme, now renamed the Community Services Programme, at the beginning of 2006. Projects that operated at the time of the transfer of responsibilities continue to be supported. These include community childcare services, services for the elderly, services for people with disabilities, rural transport for isolated rural communities, managing community halls and facilities, rural tourism, community radio, and recycling and environmental projects.

€52 million has been allocated to the Community Services Programme in the 2007 Estimates. This represents an increased allocation of €10 million on 2006. The 2006 Estimates already included an extra €5 million for the Community Services Programme.

To utilise this additional funding (€15 m in total) applications were invited from eligible community groups in May 2006. Interested groups were directed to make application through their local Partnership, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Community Partnership or LEADER office.

The following categories of projects were eligible to apply for this additional €15m funding:

Community childcare services (excluding those groups currently funded under the Equal Opportunities Childcare Programme except for activities not eligible under this programme).

Community services for the elderly (excluding healthcare provision).

Community services, which support or employ people with disabilities (excluding healthcare provision).

Projects, which support and employ stabilised and recovering drug misusers (excluding healthcare provision).

Community services or community enterprises for island communities.

Community radio.

Community enterprises, which support or employ Travellers (excluding healthcare provision).

Supervising community halls and facilities with a priority focus on disadvantaged areas

Community heritage centres

Managed rural walks

243 expressions of interest were received by Pobal, who administer the Programme on behalf of my Department. Following appraisal of these expressions of interest 125 Projects were recommended for funding. Funding will, in all cases, be subject to these organisations submitting satisfactory business plans, which meet the Programme requirements.