Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

372. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the allocation to the social inclusion and community activation programme in each of the years 2020 to 2025 and for 2026; the measures that this allocation supported, by year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55720/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme, which aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting disadvantaged communities and individuals. This is a national programme that is delivered in both rural and urban areas by Local Development Companies (LDCs) to help those in the greatest need.

SICAP funding is subject to the annual budgetary Estimates process. There has been a positive trend of year-on-year increases in SICAP funding in recent years, with 2022 seeing the largest increase in funding at 10%, or €4m. In 2023, there was a further increase of €1.3m, in 2024 an increase of €3m and in 2025 an increase of €1.5m. I am delighted to have secured an additional €1.5m for the programme in Budget 2026, bringing the annual funding to over €50m in 2026.

Separate to this increase in SICAP core funding, additional funding of €36m has also been distributed through SICAP to support Ukrainian Nationals displaced by war since 2022. €10m has also been committed in 2026 which includes supports to all New Arrivals and International Protection Applicants.

SICAP allocations from 2020 to 2026 are set out in the following table:

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

373. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the allocation to the community services programme in each of the years 2020 to 2025 and for 2026; the measures that this allocation supported, by year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55721/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports 446 services nationally via 427 community organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model focusing on urban and rural communities where public and private sector services are lacking, either through geographical or social isolation or because of demand deficits.

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. The programme is administered by Pobal on behalf of this Department.

The CSP Programme currently provides funding towards 1,725 FTEs and 352 manager positions. An allocation of €55.4m was made in Budget 2025 to support the CSP Programme for 2025, an increase of €3m from 2024. A further increase of €4m has been announced for 2026, bringing the total programme allocation to €59.4m for 2026.