Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1189. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide in tabular form the total amount of moneys allocated by her Department to Muintír Na Tíre over the past five years; to provide a breakdown by annual year and by individual county allocation of the dispersed budget per year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38535/23]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1190. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to outline any allocation of funding to Muintír Na Tíre over the past five years, which derived from capital seizures through the proceeds of crime legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38539/23]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1191. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality to provide a breakdown in tabular form for the total amount of spending for the past five years recorded by Muintír Na Tíre to support community alert schemes, the report to provide a breakdown by county for each of the five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38540/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1189 to 1191, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy may be aware, my Department provides funding for the costs associated with the national Community Alert Programme. This includes the employment of Development Officers who provide support for local community engagement with An Garda Síochána, including in relation to Community Text Alert schemes.

As Minister, I have no role in the internal governance or operations of Muintír na Tíre, beyond the funding provided by my Department, including the organisation’s budgetary process and funding model and I cannot comment on these matters.

In 2021, my Department committed in the region of €150,000 to local communities who wish to apply for a rebate towards the costs associated with running their local Text Alert Scheme, which is administered by Muintír na Tíre. This is a continuation of the annual funding made available by the Department for the Text Alert Rebate scheme each year since 2016.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Community Safety Innovation Fund, was established in 2021 by myself and the Minister for Public Expenditure to allow proceeds of crime to be directed into community projects to support community safety. Muintír na Tíre has not received any funding from the Community Safety Innovation Fund to date.

I can advise the Deputy that the table below sets out the funding provided in respect of salaries of specific Regional Development Officers in Muintir na Tíre, general administration costs and IT equipment, for each of the years requested:

My Department have begun negotiations with Muintir na Tíre to put long-term funding on a more sustainable and clearer basis and move to a funding model that links more explicitly with the work of the regional development officers and is focussed on Muintir na Tíre support for Garda /community relationships primarily in rural areas.

The funding provided by my Department for the Text Alert Rebate for the years 2019 – 2021, by county, is detailed in the below table. It should be noted that additional funding was provided in the rebate for 2020 for increased costs incurred due to Covid. I understand that Muintir na Tíre are currently compiling the 2022 Text Alert Rebate application.