Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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73. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the work to support volunteering and the provision of volunteer centres for each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8478/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My Department’s Community & Voluntary Supports programme provides a cohesive framework of support for the community and voluntary sector. €5.5m has been provided in 2022 under this programme to support 29 Volunteer Centres, a number of national organisations such as Volunteer Ireland and to support the implementation of the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025.

Funding under this framework is provided to strengthen and support volunteering, to facilitate and foster volunteerism in Ireland and to build a support structure to develop volunteering locally.  It enables Volunteer Centres in each county to play a central role in facilitating and supporting the development of volunteering in their areas.

Since the publication of the National Volunteering Strategy in December 2020 a number of actions have been completed or initiated, including Action 29, the upgrade of seven Volunteer Information Services to full Volunteer Centres.  As of May 2021 every county now has a volunteer centre that is supported and funded by my Department.

Funding has also been provided to The Community Volunteer Programme. This programme is co-ordinated by Volunteer Ireland and the network of Volunteer Centres with support from the local authorities. The programme will enhance current volunteering capacity for forthcoming events and potential emergencies.