Written answers
Thursday, 17 October 2024
Department of Rural and Community Development
Social Enterprise Sector
Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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351. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide details of all social enterprise organisations or bodies funded by his Department in each year from 2021 to date in 2024; the amount allocated in funding to each during this time period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42278/24]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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In July of this year I launched Ireland’s National Social Enterprise Policy, Trading for Impact 2024-2027. This new policy, which builds on the first national social enterprise policy, is designed to cultivate a strong and impactful social enterprise sector in Ireland that enriches the social, environmental, and economic well-being of our communities.
My Department operates a range of funding supports that are open to all community and voluntary organisations, charities and social enterprises and non-profits, however, the Social Enterprise Measure of the Dormant Accounts Fund and the Community Services Programme (CSP) are the two schemes which are tailored to support organisation who utilise the social enterprise model.
The Social Enterprise Measure of the Dormant Accounts Fund aims to provide direct supports for capacity building, particularly in relation to enterprise development. Programmes delivered under this measure assist in the creation of sustainable jobs with a particular focus on social enterprises supporting travellers, migrants, ex-offenders and other marginalised groups, improving the quality and delivery of services for disadvantaged communities, and increasing the capacity of social enterprises to generate funded income.
The CSP supports community based organisations to provide local social, economic and environment services through a social enterprise model. Furthermore, it aims to provide employment opportunities and improve the employability of individuals most distant from the labour market or in disadvantaged areas. Over 400 organisations are supported, with a recent expansion in the number of organisations supported announced in June of this year.
Details of the grantees supported by the schemes under my Department are published on my Departments website .
The attached document provides a breakdown of the funding provided under the Social Enterprise Measure of the Dormant Accounts Fund and the CSP over the period requested. It should be noted that applications for funding under the 2024 Social Enterprise Measure of the Dormant Accounts Fund only recently closed and successful grantees will be announced in due course.
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