Mark Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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271. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will report on the progress made on implementing the "Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: A five-year strategy" to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019-2024, which was extended into 2025; the actions outstanding; and his plans for a new strategy for the community and voluntary sector. [38309/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Government's five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, was published in 2019.  This is a whole of government strategy led by my Department, which is implemented collaboratively with the sector through the Cross Sector Group (CSG) on Local and Community Development.

The CSG also sets priorities in agreeing annual work plans under the Strategy. It was agreed by the CSG in 2024 to continue with the implementation of the existing Strategy into 2025.  The agreed work plan for 2025 is being overseen by my Department.

In the five years since the strategy was adopted, notable outcomes include:

• the agreement and adoption by Government of the Values and Principles for collaboration and partnership with the Community and Voluntary Sector;
• the enactment of the Charities (Amendment) Act 2024 which will strengthen the charities sector, by ensuring greater transparency, clarity and fairness, serving to enhance public confidence in the sector; and,
• the hosting of the annual National Civic Forum, which co-created a roadmap for how to better advance participatory and deliberative approaches to public policy-making in Ireland.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that, last week, I launched an online stakeholder consultation on the development of a new strategy to support the community and voluntary sector. The consultation, which is open until Friday, August 15, will give organisations across the community and voluntary sector an opportunity to contribute to the new strategy. Details of the consultation can be found on my department’s website at the following link gov.ie stakeholder consultation - new strategy to support the community and voluntary sector.

The process will also include an in-person consultation event which will be held in Tullamore on Wednesday, July 23.  I look forward to hearing the views of sectoral stakeholders on that day.

The new strategy, which will cater for the period 2026 - 2030, will build up upon the existing structures, strategic objectives and achievements of the previous strategy, while taking account of new contexts, challenges and priorities for the community and voluntary sector. It will also further strengthen the relationship and partnership between Government and the community and voluntary sector, which has significantly developed over the last number of years.