Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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301. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if national lottery funding is available at present through his Department to support the work of community groups; if so, if there are specific programmes eligible for grant assistance; the details of same; the funding available through his Department that a local group (details supplied) can make an application for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16662/17]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), which is part-funded by the National Lottery, was rolled out on 1 April 2015, following a public procurement process. SICAP’s aim is to reduce poverty, promote social inclusion and equality through local, regional and national engagement and collaboration. SICAP is a key priority of Government and its vision is to improve the life chances and opportunities of those who are marginalised in society, living in poverty or in unemployment through community development approaches, targeted supports and inter-agency collaboration, where the values of equality and inclusion are promoted and human rights are respected.

While SICAP provides supports to disadvantaged communities, funding is  allocated to Programme Implementers based on the terms and conditions of the SICAP contract. The particular case (the provision of two electric delivery vans) would not be eligible for SICAP, which relates to current funding only.  

My Department also has responsibility for the Communities Facilities Scheme which was officially launched on 10 March 2017. The Scheme is targeted at disadvantaged urban and rural areas, but not exclusively so, and will fund projects that seek to enhance communities, address disadvantage and improve social cohesion at a local level. The total scheme allocation is €2 million for 2017 with each Local Authority getting an allocation of €64,500. The funding relates to capital projects only.

The Scheme is being administered by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) under the remit of the Local Authorities on behalf of my Department. The Scheme will include capital funding for projects falling under the following (non-exhaustive list) of areas:

- Development/renovation of community centres

- Community amenities

- Youth clubs

- Sports/recreation facilities

- Improvements to town parks and common areas and spaces.

In line with the ethos of the Scheme, applications for funding for projects targeting the following (non-exhaustive) indicative list of groups or issues should receive priority:

- Youth

- Older people

- Immigrants

- Refugees

- Ex-prisoners and families of prisoners/ex-prisoners

- Projects promoting cultural activity

- Projects promoting equality

- Community Development projects

- Projects promoting Integration

- Projects under the Creative Ireland 2017-2022 initiative.

Further details, including contact details for each LCDC, can be found on my Department’s website, at the following link:

.