Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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1525. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the full-year cost of matching the contribution to the community services programme to the national minimum wage rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1221/18]

John Brassil (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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1544. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if Pobal funded organisations can reduce working hours at their discretion in view of the fact that Pobal provides a block employment grant based on working hours with no allowance for the increase in the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1618/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1525 and 1544 together.

The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model.  Funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and a specified number of full time equivalent positions. 

The CSP contribution is based on a 39-hour working week.  It is not aligned to the national minimum wage, rather it is a fixed annual contribution that is required to be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources, for example, from income received from the public use of their facilities and services.  Accordingly, CSP funded organisations must maintain the 39-hour working week for supported positions notwithstanding the increase in the national minimum wage.

The funding allocation for the programme in 2018 is €46.2m.  It would cost an additional €3m to match the increase in the national minimum wage in 2018. 

Responsibility for the CSP transferred to my Department on 1 January 2018.  My immediate priority is to ensure its smooth transfer to my Department and maintain continuity of service for funded organisations.  My Department plans to commence a review of the CSP later in 2018.