Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My department's Community Service Programme (CSP) supports over 420 community-based organisations, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a manager.

Earlier this year, I announced a new Call for Proposals in respect of specific CSP services and interested organisations were requested to submit a concept note as the first step in the application process. Pobal, who manage and administer the programme on behalf of the Department, received a high volume of concept notes and as a result the CSP call was heavily over-subscribed and not all organisations who submitted a concept note were invited to formally submit an application. I understand that a concept note in response to this Call was not submitted by the organisation in question.

There are no further Calls for Proposals anticipated at this time. If the organisation in question require immediate support they should consider contacting their Local Development Company or Local Authority Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) , who may be able to provide some guidance on other supports available at this time.

In relation to the Community Centre Investment Fund 2023 (New Build), applications are currently being assessed by my Department following the July 3rd deadline. It is expected that successful projects will be announced in Quarter One of 2024.

Decisions in relation to any future rounds of the fund will be taken in the context of the upcoming annual budgetary process.