Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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401. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps being taken to support the sustainability of volunteer-led organisations and services in rural areas such as County Tipperary, where volunteer burnout, demographic challenges, and funding instability are threatening the long-term viability of essential community services [26223/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Supporting volunteering in our society is a central element of my Department's work to develop vibrant, sustainable and inclusive communities.

In furtherance of this, my Department oversees a national framework of support for the community and voluntary sector, as part of which €7.3 million will be provided in 2025 to support volunteering. This funding supports the network of 29 volunteer centres across the country, as well as a number of national volunteer-supporting organisations, such as Volunteer Ireland.

Though each Volunteer Centre has its own priorities and focus, all Centres match those looking to volunteer with local opportunities. They also support volunteer involving organisations through the provision of training and advice, and through certain services such as Garda vetting.

This year, my Department will provide €215,623 in core funding to Tipperary Volunteer Centre. This represents a significant increase from 2020, when the Centre’s core funding allocation was €152,134. Tipperary Volunteer Centre will also receive an additional €31,607.67 this year to support their efforts to provide volunteering assistance for Ukrainian and other new arrivals in the county, including International Protection Applicants

Ireland is unique in Europe in having a well-developed volunteering infrastructure. As well as funding the operation of a Volunteer Centre in each county in Ireland, my Department oversees the development and implementation of the National Volunteering Strategy and funds other crucial elements of the national volunteering infrastructure, including a national database for volunteer opportunities and projects to build knowledge and capacity.

My Department is currently in the initial stages of developing a new National Volunteering Strategy. This will fulfil the commitment in the new Programme for Government to do so. The second Strategy will build on the progress made by the first – strengthening Ireland’s volunteering infrastructure, continuing to progress areas of best practice, and ensuring that support for and recognition of the value of volunteering is sustained into the future.

As part of the research and engagement process for the new Strategy, officials at my Department will be gathering input from volunteers and volunteer involving organisations across the country. It is essential that those with the expertise and practical experience in the area of volunteering are active participants in drafting the new Strategy.