Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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1284. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will engage with a community services group (details supplied) regarding its application to the community services programme; if he will approve additional funding for the programme this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23481/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports 428 community-based organisations, with a budget of €55.4m in 2025, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. The CSP 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.

My Department wrote to the organisation in question in January this year to provide a status update in relation to the concept note they submitted as part of the 2023 Open Call. The organisation was also advised that additional funding of €3m was provided to the CSP Programme in Budget 2025 and that this has been fully allocated to meet the increased employment costs of existing CSP-funded organisations, in 2025.

I intend to examine the scope for additional funding for the CSP Programme later this year, having regard to the funding needs of existing organisations and of organisations who wish to join the programme. It should be noted that any additional new entrants may only be considered in light of available budgets.