Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Community Services Programme ,CSP, supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Around 425 organisations are supported under the CSP, with funding provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions.

The organisation in question submitted a business plan to Pobal during 2016 as part of the normal CSP re-contracting process.The business plan did not meet the criteria for continued funding under the programme and the organisation was notified that it would exit the programme in 2018.

In the interim, and pending an appeal, funding was approved for a manager and two full-time equivalent staff for 18 months to June 2018. The organisation chose not to appeal the decision.

My Department and Pobal continues to accept expressions of interest under the CSP and I will consider, in light of available budgets, the possibility of opening the programme to additional new entrants during the year.

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Community Services Programme, CSP, supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Around 425 community organisations are supported under the CSP, with funding provided as a contribution to the costs of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions.

The organisation in question submitted a business plan for consideration under the CSP in April 2017. This application was unsuccessful but the organisation was given an opportunity in Autumn 2017 to submit a revised business plan. This was received by Pobal in mid-December. My Department will make a decision on the application shortly.