Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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517. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the criteria for a community horse project to be included in Pobal funding; the programmes that Pobal can offer for a community horse project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13246/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Pobal works on behalf of Government, and in conjunction with communities and local agencies, to support social inclusion and local and community development. Pobal provide administrative support to my Department for a wide array of programmes and schemes, including the LEADER programme, the Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Scheme to Support National Organisations and so on.

Pobal also provide support to my Department for the Community Services Programme (CSP), which funds a small number of horse related projects via a contribution towards their staffing costs. These organisations, along with the other 430 CSP supported organisations, are required to meet the programme criteria(available on the Pobal website, www.pobal.ie) for CSP rather than any specific community horse project related criteria. While the CSP is currently closed for applications, I would encourage any interested parties to check for future application calls on my Department and Pobal’s respective websites.

Separate to the CSP, my Department also currently provides funding in 2025 of €147,840 to Dublin City Council for Cherry Orchard Equine Centre, with which the Deputy may be familiar. This funding is paid from the Targeted Social Inclusion Measure in my Department's Dormant Accounts Funding.

The funding for Cherry Orchard Equine Centre is specifically targeted at social inclusion and ensures increased engagement with young travellers, marginalised youths and disadvantaged youths in the Ballyfermot/Cherry Orchard area. Cherry Orchard Equine Centre provides a variety of supports, including youth services, engagement with Youth Diversion Projects and Crisis Intervention programmes, delivery of accredited and non-accredited equine training and provides supports to individuals progressing towards employment.

I would encourage any community groups and organisations to check my Department’s website, www.gov.ie/drcd, and to engage with their Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), Local Development Companies and Public Participation Networks (PPN), to ensure they are aware of funding opportunities as they become available.