Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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460. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the main headings under which his Department expects to be in a position to offer financial assistance to voluntary groups throughout County Kildare and the country at large; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38877/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My Department operates a number of funding programmes and schemes that are open to applications from relevant parties, including groups in the voluntary sector, who satisfy the relevant criteria during the application timeframes set for each scheme/programme.

Volunteering supporting infrastructurehas been set up nationwide in the form of Volunteer Centres, Volunteering Information Services and Volunteer Ireland, and the Department hopes to further develop this infrastructure.

In 2018, €3.5 million was allocated by my Department to support the work of volunteering organisations. The Department also approved a request from Volunteer Ireland for €115,000 to update the I-VOL database, which will be provided on a recoupment basis. This upgrade will facilitate public online access to volunteering information and opportunities.

My Department also has lead responsibility for developing the relationship between the State and community and voluntary sector. The Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national organisations in the sector, with a focus on organisations that provide supports to those who are disadvantaged. The current three-year scheme runs to 30 June 2019, and all funding has been fully allocated for 2018.

The Community Services Programme (CSP), which has an allocation for 2018 of €46million, supports community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model for services which are not being met through public or private funding.

The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) was launched by my Department in May 2018. It provides small capital grants to community groups across the country. The original allocation announced in May 2018 was €4.5m and last week, I was able to announce a further allocation of €8million to the CEP for 2018. An additional €0.5m was allocated and ring-fenced for Men’s Sheds in June of this year.

The programme allows communities across the country to apply for funding to enhance the facilities in their areas. Hundreds of groups are benefitting across the country in 2018 and money is being spent on what is important to people locally in their area. Co. Kildare has been allocated a total of €442,585 under the CEP in 2018.

Voluntary groups in rural areas may also be able to access funding under the CLÁR Programme, which has allocated approximately €23million to almost 500 small scale infrastructural projects since 2016, in the areas of school and community safety, recreational play areas and first response support. Last month I also opened up the programme to supports for mobility and cancer care transport.

Funding may also be available under my Department's LEADER Programme to support groups in the voluntary sector. Applications for funding can be made directly to the relevant Local Action Groups.

The Seniors Alert Scheme provides personal monitored alarms to enable older people, of limited means, to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by Pobal, with applicants applying via community organisations operating in their local area. Since Pobal took over the administration of the Scheme in September 2015, 15 community organisations have been approved to operate the Scheme in Co. Kildare.

Further information on all funding programmes and schemes is available on my Department's website www.drcd.gov.ie.