Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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233. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount in the form of grants or direct funding that her Department or agencies under her Department's remit have provided to local environment networks, public participation networks that are categorised under the Environmental Pillar; if she will provide a list those organisations that are in receipt of monies in each of the years 2016 to 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50693/22]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My Department does not provide funding to the Local Environmental Networks (LENs), which are funded by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications.

My Department does have overall responsibility for the funding, governance oversight and development of Public Participation Networks (PPNs). PPNs are structures that bring together volunteer-led groups in each Local Authority area. Their primary function is to provide representation for the community sector in Local Authority policymaking structures, giving local volunteers a greater say in local government decisions which affect their own communities. Membership of a PPN is open to all volunteer-led/not-for-profit groups in a local authority area. Over 18,000 groups nationwide are currently members of a PPN.

LENs may register with their local PPN, however PPNs are not grant-giving organisations and as such the LENs do not receive funding from PPNs.

My Department, in conjunction with Local Authorities, provides direct funding to each of the 31 PPNs around the country for staffing and operational costs. My Department also funds structural supports to the PPNs at national level, e.g. training, awareness-raising, IT support, the PPN Handbook. Each PPN currently receives a maximum of €75,700 from my Department each year.

Funding provided to PPNs during the period in question is outlined in tabular form in the attached spreadsheet.