Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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24. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of Pobal applications for community groups finalised and processed since February 2020, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24196/20]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I presume the Deputy is referring to my Department's Community Services Programme, or CSP, which supports over 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Funding is provided as a contribution towards the cost of an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions (FTEs) and a manager, where warranted. Currently there are over 1,700 FTEs and over 320 manager positions funded under the CSP. Pobal manage the programme on behalf of my Department.

Funding for new organisations under the CSP is considered in light of available budgets and since February 2020, nine new organisations have been approved contracts under the Programme. This will support nine manager positions and 17.5 FTEs, resulting in an annual contribution of over €653,000. Details are outlined in the table below.