John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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479. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a group (details supplied) will be provided with multi-annual funding commencing with budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52757/25]

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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480. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a group (details supplied) will be provided with multi-annual funding commencing with budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52758/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together.

Community cafés are a vital part of many communities. I recognise the enormous benefit and impact that these social enterprises have in both urban and rural locations, offering training and employment opportunities, a place to volunteer and providing, in many cases, an important ‘hub’ where members of a community can meet and enjoy each other’s company. In particular, they have proved to be a lifeline for those most marginalised in our communities, for example, the elderly, those with a disability, and the unemployed.

My Department's National Social Enterprise Policy, Trading for Impact 2024-2027, is committed to helping cultivate strong and impactful social enterprises, including community cafés. This policy contains 57 measures to be delivered under 5 objectives, many of which provide support to the sector and the type of businesses represented by this group.

Measure 12 under the Policy commits, over its lifetime, to deliver loan/grant funding schemes for social enterprises through my Department's programmes including the Community Services Programme (CSP), the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), PEACEPLUS, and LEADER. Many of these programmes can be accessed through the groups' Local Development Company, as a first step.