Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

216. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason an organisation (details supplied) was not invited to make a business case to Pobal for funding from the community services programme; the steps it should take in order that the organisation can meet the criteria; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42058/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Community Services Programme (CSP) provides financial support to community companies that provide revenue generating services of a social inclusion nature. Many of these companies are also funded from other sources and generate revenue from the public use of their facilities and services.The CSP provides a contribution to the wage costs of the companies on the basis that the services are not fully self-financing or the cost of provision would be prohibitive on users.

An additional €1m in CSP finding was announced in Budget 2017 and, arising from this, a targeted call for new CSP applications via SICAP Programme Implementers was announced in May 2017. The call was targeted at CSP Strand 3 organisations type only. These are social enterprises who deliver services that meet a need in the community, particularly disadvantaged communities, and who use the CSP funding contribution to employ staff from specific disadvantaged target groups, which include:

- the long-term unemployed;

- Persons in receipt of disability allowance, invalidity pension or blind person’s pension;

- Travellers in receipt of jobseeker’s payments or OFP;

- Stabilised and recovering drug misusers;

- People with convictions;

- People who are homeless; and

- Immigrants.

An expression of interest (EOI) was submitted by Inishowen Development Partnership on behalf of iCare, as part of the 2017 targeted call. The organisation did not progress to business planning as it does not adequately meet the EOI call criteria, namely the services proposed are primarily children's and youth services providing childcare and youth club services, which are not eligible under CSP. In addition, the application has not demonstrated that employment creation, support and progression for members of the target group is a core objective of the service.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.