Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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35. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures her Department is taking to address poverty and social exclusion across Ireland. [9253/23]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.

My Department's Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme. SICAP seeks to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies.

I was delighted to secure an increase of €1.3 million for SICAP under Budget 2023, increasing the annual funding from €43 million to €44.3 million. And additionally, €10 million is being provided under SICAP from Budget 2023 to allow Local Development Companies to continue to support arrivals from the Ukraine.

My Department also funds a range of other programmes that target those most in need including the Empowering Communities Programme, the Community Development Pilot Programme and the Place-Based Leadership Programme, all of which seek to address the toughest challenges experienced in disadvantaged areas.

My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports community businesses to provide local services and create employment opportunities for disadvantaged people. Further to a review of the programme, CSP organisations that are operating in areas of high disadvantage employing individuals from prescribed programme target groups now benefit from a higher funding rate category.