Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the funding he will provide for various social or community groups in County Kildare in 2008; the number of applications on hand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25203/08]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the grant assistance available to voluntary groups or bodies in County Kildare in 2008; the number of applications he has received to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25205/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 106 together.

As the Deputy is aware, my Department operates a wide range of schemes supportive of social, community and voluntary groups, and funding may be available for the groups in Kildare under a number of these programmes. Details in relation to each of the schemes and programmes operated by my Department, including eligibility criteria, can be accessed on my Department's website at www.pobail.ie. In relation to the data requested by the Deputy, the following is the position:

(i) Community Development Programme

(ii) Local Development Social Inclusion Programme

(iii) RAPID Leverage Scheme

Athy, Co. Kildare, is a RAPID area and an allocation of €66,000 was approved in 2008 under the RAPID leverage schemes (Playgrounds 2008). Once grants under the 2008 Sports Capital Programme are made by the Department of Arts, Sports and Tourism, I will be making an announcement regarding top-up grants under the RAPID Programme to successful clubs in Kildare.

(iv) National Drugs Strategy

Funding for community groups from my Department for drugs initiatives in Co. Kildare is channelled through the South West Area Regional Drugs Task Force (SWRDTF). In this regard, funding of €0.34m has been made available to the Community Drug Team for Kildare and West Wicklow in 2008. Other funding provided to the Task Force will also provide benefit across their region of operation, including Co. Kildare. Under the Task Force's small grants scheme, funding of €30,000 is also available annually to support community groups & voluntary organisations within the region to develop responses to the drugs issue.

(v) White Paper Grants supporting Voluntary Activity

Kildare Volunteer Bureau has been awarded funding of €126,690 for 2008. In addition, two of the organisations funded under the Funding Scheme to support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector are headquartered in Co Kildare and these are:

Accord Catholic Marriage Care Service (€47,000 for 2008); and

Breaking Through Ltd (€73,000 for 2008)

(vi) Community Services Programme

The deadline for receipt of applications under the 2008 round of funding is 30th June 2008. To date, my Department has not received any application from a group in Co Kildare.

(vii) Community Support for Older People and Programme of Grants for Locally Based Community & Voluntary Organisations

(viii) LEADER Programmes

My Department is currently operating the LEADER Programmes 2001-2006, which will close shortly. The Programme is being delivered in Kildare by Kelt. In addition, my Department will implement the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, which was launched recently, and which will provide funding of €425m over the lifetime of the Programme. An open competitive process to select Local Action Groups to deliver the new Programme in Co Kildare, and elsewhere, is currently underway. It is envisaged that groups will be allocating funding by October 2008. At that stage, voluntary groups or bodies will be eligible to apply for funding under a number of measures.

(ix) Dormant Accounts

Funding may also be available for the purpose to which the Deputy refers under the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is targeted at three broad categories of persons — those affected by economic and social disadvantage; those affected by educational disadvantage and persons with a disability. Details in relation to this Fund can be accessed on the Department's website at www.pobail.ie.