Written answers
Thursday, 4 December 2025
Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Social Isolation
Tony McCormack (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the initiatives his Department is implementing to combat rural isolation in Offaly, particularly for older people and those without access to transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68167/25]
Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Addressing the issue of rural isolation requires a range of responses across Government Departments and agencies. My Department has a number of funding programmes which help to address rural isolation issues in communities including Offaly, focusing on the value of communities and social inclusion within our communities.
My Department provides funding to tackle social isolation and support those in our communities in most need of assistance through schemes such as the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Community Services Programme (CSP), the Seniors Alert Scheme, and the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP).
SICAP is Ireland’s primary social inclusion funding intervention, delivered locally by Local Development Companies to help those in the greatest need access supports to enable participation in communities. Offaly Local Development Company operate a range of services and supports aimed a reducing social isolation.
My Department’s CSP currently supports over 420 community organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services that meet identified needs and provide employment locally and address disadvantage, contributing to sustainable, inclusive and empowered communities. Examples of organisations operating in Offaly include:
- North Offaly Community Development Network (NOCDN) is supported through an allocation of €175,500 for 2025 to provide a range of services, including home and garden maintenance to older and vulnerable people throughout North Offaly.
- Offaly Integrated Local Development Company has been allocated €106,500 for 2025 to support a meals-on-wheels distribution service in West and South Offaly.
- B.L.C. Developments Company has been awarded €49,860 in 2025 to operate meals-on-wheels and Active Age programmes across two community facilities.
In June this year I announced that the €7 million provided for the LEP scheme in 2025 will support almost 4,500 community groups delivering over 5,400 individual projects. In Offaly this supported 145 groups with combined funding of over €177,000. These projects include support for social clubs, choirs, and sports clubs. The scheme also supports Men’s and Women’s Sheds, which play an important role in reducing isolation. Additionally, in May, I announced €1 million in funding for Men’s Sheds. This funding will provide grants of up to €3,000 for sheds across the country.
Other supports such as those for Tidy Towns groups, Agricultural Shows, and funding for Public Libraries, all help to reduce social isolation and loneliness.
While transport matters are the responsibility for the NTA and the Minister for Transport, I would note that the TFI Local Link Laois Offaly service provides rural bus transport services across Offaly with services including Regular Rural Services and Door-to-Door Services.
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