Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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915. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the grants available through his Department and Pobal to support community centres; if there are specific supports to pay for a manager for such centres; his plans to change the support provided to community centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12560/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Funding is available through my Department's Community Services Programme, CSP, and LEADER Programme to support the management and development of community centres respectively.

The CSP supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Such services include community owned or community managed buildings and facilities that are used for community benefit, including community centres.CSP funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions, with €32,000 per anum provided for a manager and €19,033 per anum for each full-time equivalent position.

I have no plans to change the support provided to community centres in the short term. My immediate priority for the CSP is to ensure its smooth transfer to my Department and maintain the level of service for the 425 organisations funded under the programme. Thereafter, the intention is to monitor the programme's progress over the next six months and, working closely with Pobal, undertake a thorough review, to commence in early autumn 2018.

Capital funding may also be available under my Department's LEADER Programme to develop or renovate community centres. LEADER is delivered through Local Action Groups in 28 rural areas around the country. Applications for funding can be made directly to the relevant Local Action Groups. Contact details for all Local Action Groups are available on my Department's website www.drcd.gov.ie/rural/development/leader.