Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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604. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if funding for meals-on-wheels community groups can be accessed through her Department; the programmes that offer support to these groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45651/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department's mission is to support vibrant and sustainable communities across this country, and in doing so to deliver on a wide range of strategic interventions, funding programmes and policies to support urban and rural communities.  

Funding for meals-on-wheels community groups may be available, subject to meeting eligibility criteria, through various funding strands managed by my Department, as set out below (including details of programmes closed to applicants for 2022 and some which are not yet announced):

- CLAR:The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. This year's programme has a total budget of €7 million.  This represents an increase of €1.5 million on the budget for the 2021 CLÁR programme.

Under Measure 1, Community Facilities & Amenities applications were accepted directly from Local Authorities. Meals-on-wheels community groups could apply for capital funding under this Measure. The 2022 Programme is now closed and details of successful applications are published on my Department's website. Funding of over €10 million was approved under Measure 1.

- Social Enterprise: Many community organisations and meals-on-wheels providers are social enterprises, and may apply for any scheme run by DRCD under the Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) Social Enterprise Measure.

Past DAF schemes include Small capital grants schemes, Training and Mentoring Schemes, Schemes for start-up social enterprises, the Awareness Raising Initiative of Social Enterprise (ARISE) Scheme, and the Scaling-up Scheme for Social Enterprise. There are currently no DAF schemes accepting applications under the measure, details of any forthcoming schemes will published on the DRCD website.

- The Community Services Programme(CSP). The programme supports over 2,000 positions in more than 430 community organisations to provide a vast range of local services through a social enterprise model.  The CSP supports a range of services and activities that enhance the quality of life of older people and those most vulnerable within our communities, including the provision of meals within centres and via a meals-on-wheels service.

CSP funding is provided as a fixed annual contribution of €19,033 for each fulltime equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, provides €32,000 towards the cost of employing a manager, focusing on communities where public and private sector services are lacking, either through geographical or social isolation or because demand levels are not sufficient.  Qualifying organisations must be social enterprises capable of generating income from their activities in order to meet the full salary costs of the supported posts, for example, from income received from the public use of facilities and services. 

Following an independent review of the CSP, the programme is currently being redesigned. Pending the transition to the new restructured programme, the scheme is closed to new applications through the Expression of Interest process.  It is anticipated that the programme may open calls to address identified gaps in service delivery later in 2022, and any additional entrants will be considered in light of available budgets.

- Community Activities Fund (CAF):The CAF supports community and voluntary groups impacted by COVID-19.  This Fund helped community groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities.  The CAF is currently closed for applications, however, I will keep a future iteration under consideration.

- Community Enhancement Programme (CEP): The CEP programme in 2021 provided €4.5m funding for small capital grants to community groups with the aim of enhancing facilities in disadvantaged areas. It supports small-scale funding for projects which can range from the purchase of equipment to minor renovations to buildings. It is envisaged that the CEP will run again later in 2022, however, details of the fund and the allocations available have not yet been confirmed.

Organisations who wish to be contacted should a targeted call open later in 2022, can provide their relevant contact details to my Department at csp@drcd.ie and we will keep them on file and notify them at the appropriate time. 

In the interim, as the selection of new CSP organisations following an open call can be a lengthy process, organisations that currently require immediate supports should consider contacting their Local Development Company who may be able to provide some guidance on other supports available at this time, including the Department of Social Protection's Rural Social Scheme (RSS), TUS and Community Employment (CE) schemes.

- LEADER: Funding for the service referenced may be available through the LEADER Programme.  LEADER is a multi-annual programme covering the period 2014-2022 which is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) around the country.

Support under the LEADER programme is provided under a broad range of themes.  In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, it must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved Local Development Strategy for the relevant LEADER area, and it must comply with the Operating Rules and EU Regulations in place for the programme. 

Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact their relevant LAG, through its Implementing Partner, to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. The list of all Local Action Groups, their Implementing Partners and their contact details, is available on the Gov.ie website.

All prospective applicants should carefully consider the detailed guidance documentation that is issued by my Department as part of the application process for the various programmes listed to ensure that they meet the criteria set out.  Queries relating to the application process for any of the programmes listed above can be forwarded directly to the unit responsible.  Contact details can be found on the website gov.ie.

I would also encourage interested parties, such as the meals-on-wheels community groups referenced by the Deputy, to stay in touch with the Local Development Company, the Local Community Development Committee and their Local Authority, so that they are aware of grant schemes from across Government Departments and state agencies, as they become available.