Liam Quaide (Cork East, Social Democrats)
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16. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the proportion of funding allocated by his Department that is provided on a multi-annual basis as opposed to once-off or competitive grant schemes; and if he will outline any plans to move towards longer-term, sustainable funding structures for community organisations. [23001/26]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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The community and voluntary sector is quite diverse and receives financial support from a wide range of government departments and agencies, including from my department.

The Government’s strategy to support the community and voluntary sector, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, published in 2019, set out a long-term vision for our communities in Ireland and provided a strategic framework across Government for engagement with the sector and support through a wide range of programmes and initiatives. It included a commitment to promote multi-annual funding for community and voluntary organisations. My department is currently developing a successor strategy that will build upon the achievements, structures and programmes established under the previous strategy whilst also responding to new challenges and contexts.

Across the community development area of my department, funding of €260 million is being provided in 2026. Consistent with the commitment in the strategy for the community and voluntary sector, the most significant funding programmes provide support on a multi-annual basis, including the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Community Services Programme (CSP) and the Support Scheme for National Organisations (SSNO).

€74 million is being allocated to the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and other social inclusion supports in 2026. This includes €12 million for community integration work, helping to support new arrivals.

The Community Services Programme currently supports 426 community-based organisations, with a budget of €59.4m allocated for 2025, to provide local services through a social enterprise model.

The Scheme to Support National Organisation (SSNO) currently provides multi-annual funding towards the core costs of 82 national, community and voluntary organisations. A new iteration of the Scheme will commence this year.

My department will continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including community and voluntary sector representative organisations and local development companies, to provide sustained financial support to community organisations across the country.