Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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83. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his views on the commitments to disadvantaged communities under SICAP. [38348/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My Department's Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme, or SICAP, is a key priority for Government and aims to address high and persistent levels of deprivation through targeted and innovative, locally led projects in communities. SICAP supports disadvantaged communities and individuals including unemployed people, people living in deprived areas, people with disabilities, single parent families, people on a low income, members of the Traveller and Roma community and other disadvantaged groups.

I announced the second SICAP programme, covering 2018 to 2022, earlier this year. It has a funding allocation nationally of €38 million in 2018 and will provide some €190 million over the five year period of the Programme to support the most disadvantaged individuals and communities in our society. This amount also includes an allocation under the European Social Fund (ESF).

SICAP's goals relate to supporting both groups and also individuals on a one to one basis. It provides capacity at local level to respond to the particular needs in each area. It is managed locally by 33 Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) with support from Local Authorities and is administered on my Department's behalf by Pobal. In its mid-year review of 2018, Pobal has reported to my Department that the Programme is well on course to meet its targets, with over 27,000 individuals supported by mid year. In addition, there were over 5,000 interventions for Local Community Groups in the same period.