Written answers

Tuesday, 16 June 2020

Department of Rural and Community Development

Social Enterprise Sector

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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940. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding released to successful applicants from the Social Enterprise Development Fund 2018 to 2020 to date. [10596/20]

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Social Enterprise Development Fund is a €1.6m fund which was established in 2018 by Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland.  It is funded by IPB Insurance and by my Department.  Through the Dormant Accounts Fund, my Department provides match funding for all philanthropic donations raised by SIFI. 

While the Social Enterprise Development Fund was initially due to run to the end of 2020, a further €1.6m in funding was announced in January of this year to ensure the initiative continues to 2022.  €800,000 of this funding will be provided by my Department.

Each year the Social Enterprise Development Fund releases €400,000 in cash grants in addition to a range of non-financial supports. The following tables detail the social enterprises which were awarded funding in 2018 and 2019 in addition to those social enterprises which received non-financial supports and a place on the SIFI Accelerator Programme.

2018 - List of Social Enterprises in receipt of Social Enterprise Development funding

Social Enterprise Location Cash Grant
MyMind Dublin €50,000
GIY Growbox Waterford €50,000
O'Cualann Wicklow €50,000
The Shona Project Waterford €50,000
Sensational Kids Kildare €50,000
Meals 4 Health Galway €50,000
Social Farming Leitrim €50,000
Sailing into Wellness Cork €50,000

In 2018 a further 14 social enterprises received non-financial support and a place on the SIFI Accelerator Programme, listed as follows:

Social Enterprise Location
TechIreland Dublin
ReCreate Ireland Dublin
Siel Bleu Dublin
The Peacelink Monaghan
Walkinstown Green Social Enterprises Limited Dublin
First Fortnight Dublin
Third Space Collective Dublin
Tipperary Energy Agency Tipperary
FoodShare Kerry
The Cornmarket Project Wexford
Dress for Success Dublin
Helium Arts Westmeath
St.Gabriel's Orthotics Limerick
Generation Accommodation Wicklow

2019 - List of Social Enterprises in receipt of Social Enterprise Development funding

Social Enterprise Location Cash Grant
Active Connections CLG Cork €30,000
Bounce Back Recycling Galway €35,000
Darndale Belcamp Village Centre Dublin €20,000
Deaf Enterprises Cork €10,000
Irish Seed Savers Association Clare €10,000
Kilcannon Industries Wexford €10,000
ReCreate Ireland Dublin €20,000
Refill Ireland Project Ltd Dublin €30,000
Siel Bleu Ireland Dublin €30,000
Spraoi agus Spórt Donegal €75,000
St. Gabriel's Orthotic Services Limerick €70,000
Teach na Daoine Monaghan €10,000
The Peace Link Monaghan €10,000
The Urban Co-op Limerick €20,000
Walkinstown Green Social Enterprises Limited Dublin €10,000
We Make Good Dublin €10,000

These organisations also received non-financial supports.  

The 2020 Social Enterprise Development Fund selection process is nearing completion and the applicants will be informed of the outcome in mid-July.

Photo of Brian StanleyBrian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

941. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of social enterprises in counties Laois and Offaly that have been awarded a grant from the social enterprise development fund; and the value of the grants. [10597/20]

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

The Social Enterprise Development Fund is a €1.6m fund which was established in 2018 by Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland.  It is funded by IPB Insurance and by my Department.  Through the Dormant Accounts Fund, my Department provides match funding for all philanthropic donations raised by SIFI. 

While the Social Enterprise Development Fund was initially due to run to the end of 2020, a further €1.6m in funding was announced in January of this year to ensure the initiative continues to 2022.  €800,000 of this funding will be provided by my Department.

To date, no organisations from Counties Laois or Offaly have been awarded a grant from the Social Enterprise Development Fund.  However, my Department has provided funding to social enterprises in Laois and Offaly through other schemes specifically targeting social enterprises. 

For example, between December 2019 and January 2020 I announced funding to 4 social enterprises from Co. Laois and 6 social enterprises from Co. Offaly under the pilot Small Capital Grants Scheme for Social Enterprises. 

Offaly Integrated Local Development Company was also successful in being awarded €33,720 to support training and mentoring of social enterprises under the pilot Training and Mentoring Scheme for Social Enterprises which I announced last December. 

Details of the projects supported under these schemes are available at:  

(December 2019)

and

(January 2020)

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