Written answers

Thursday, 27 September 2018

Department of Rural and Community Development

Community Services Programme Funding

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if additional supports, including funding, will be made available to community organisations which provide community services through the community services programme administered by Pobal; if his attention has been drawn to the financial difficulties being experienced by such organisations owing to minimum and living wage increases, the cost of which are not fully met by funding allocated through the scheme; the additional assistance such organisations may avail of should they experience such difficulties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39262/18]

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports around 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. More than €46 million is available to support community organisations under the programme in 2018.

The CSP provides a fixed annual of contribution of €19,033 per FTE and €32,000 per manager. The contribution is not aligned with the national minimum wage. Organisations are required to provide a top-up of €2,000 per FTE from other sources to meet minimum wage requirements, for example, from income received for the use of facilities and services.

A CSP Support Fund was established in 2016 to provide additional funding to certain organisations to help them secure their financial sustainability and meet their minimum wage obligations. My Department will commence a review of the CSP shortly. The review will consider inter aliafunding levels and funding structures under the programme.

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