John Connolly (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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26. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress his Department has made towards the development of a scheme to tackle urban disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68404/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department is responsible for a range of initiatives tackling deprivation and revitalising communities in both rural and urban areas. Key programmes include the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Empowering Communities Programme and providing funding for the Dublin North East Inner City initiative.

My Department is making significant progress in revitalising communities through the ongoing work of these programmes and is well placed to play its part in the development of new initiatives for our urban communities, both in Dublin and elsewhere.

The commitment in the Programme for Government regarding an Urban Communities Initiative is included in the section on Rejuvenating our Capital City Centre, which also refers to the Dublin North East Inner City initiative. However, I know that other urban areas outside Dublin city would also be suitable for such an initiative.

My Department is currently examining ways in which this commitment could be delivered in the context of our role in community development in urban areas.

SICAP is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention - a national programme that is delivered in both rural and urban areas by Local Development Companies, helping those in the greatest need to address high and persistent levels of deprivation through targeted, locally-led approaches. €48.9m in funding was allocated for SICAP delivery in 2025. The programme encourages partnerships between individuals, community organisations, and public sector agencies to address diverse community needs.

My Department's Empowering Communities Programme (ECP) was developed in line with Government commitments to expand the Dublin North East Inner City approach to other areas. It focusses on smaller areas experiencing significant disadvantage, identified using the Pobal HP Deprivation Index. Commencing in 2022, 17 projects are currently supported under the Empowering Communities Programme.