Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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216. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if approval can be given to an application made by an organisation (details supplied) in order that the continued good works can continue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26664/24]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community-based organisations, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. The programme 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.

Funding of €1m was made available for a Call for Proposals in respect of specific CSP services which issued in March 2023. Interested organisations were requested to submit a concept note as the first step in the application process. The concept note was for potential applicants to express an interest in making a full application for entry to the Community Services Programme.

Pobal, who manage and administer the Programme on behalf of my Department, received 197 concept notes, as a result the CSP call was hugely over-subscribed. Following approval by my Department, thirty three organisations were invited to formally submit an application.

Twenty seven organisations subsequently submitted a full application and on 13^th December 2023, 14 new applicants were approved entry to the CSP, supporting 13 manager positions and 23 full time equivalent positions, valued at c. €1m. There are a number of organisations, including the organisation in question, that did not rank in the top 14 and were not approved for entry to the programme in December 2023, due to budgetary restrictions.

Pobal issued a communication to the organisation in question in March of this year, which identified some issues in connection with their application and made recommendations in order to bring their application to a better state of readiness to join the CSP Programme, should additional funding become available.

It was also suggested in that correspondence that the organisation make contact with their Local Development Company or Local Authority who may be able to provide some guidance on other supports available at this time, or with their Local Intreo Office may be able to assist with the possibility of additional staff resources for labour activation programmes such as Community Employment or Tús.

Any decision to bring additional organisations into the Community Services Programme will be subject to available resources.