I thank the Deputy. Having just transferred from the Department of enterprise, I understand the rationale for his question. The Department of Rural and Community Development has had policy responsibility for social enterprise since the Department was established in 2017. Trading for Impact: National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027 was launched in July 2024. This policy was the successor to the first national social enterprise policy, which was published in 2019. The development of Trading for Impact was carried out in partnership with the social enterprise sector to which the Deputy referred. A series of bilateral meetings were held with key stakeholders, including Departments and sectoral representative bodies and networks, which included the local development companies, and the Local Development Companies Network, LDCN, formerly known as the ILDN. There were a number of regional stakeholder events. Finally, a public consultation took place and 43 submissions were received from stakeholders. In addition, my Department commissioned two major pieces of research to underpin the development of Trading for Impact. The first was a baseline data collation exercise on the scale and scope of social enterprise in Ireland and the second was an OECD in-depth policy review of the social enterprise and entrepreneurship ecosystem in Ireland. Trading for Impact details 57 policy actions under five key objectives. Implementation is to be informed by a stakeholder engagement group made up of key stakeholders. The membership of this group will be announced shortly. It is an area I will be very interested in working in, alongside the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer. I had many meetings with the CEO of Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland, Mr. John Logue, during my time at the Department of enterprise. There is massive potential here. We also need to support existing social enterprises.
Sentiment score: 0.12
The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I look forward to working with the Local Development Companies Network, which has just rebranded. This will be a key area of focus. The Deputy touched on the issue of management capability. People have really good ideas but, unfortunately, the execution of this can often be a challenge and can often intimidate people from taking the step. I certainly want to work in that space but also in my role as Minister for Social Protection on the back to enterprise scheme to address those issues and give people the backup and scaffolding that is needed to take the jump and move from an idea to implementation, be that a social enterprise or under the back to enterprise scheme. I would like to work on this in cohesion between the Departments of Rural and Community Development and Social Protection as far as possible.
Sentiment score: 0.03
The Deputy need not worry; the Minister, Deputy Browne, has promised me a coffee down there any day. It sounds like a fabulous project. Those are the kinds of projects we want to see. They sound very much like community services projects that support 430 community-based organisations to provide local economic environmental services with 1,700 full-time posts and 340 manager posts, supported by the Department. Last year we published the Achieve Together social innovation coaching and mentoring programme, which is cofunded under Ireland's ESF operational programme. That provides bespoke mentors and coaches to existing CSP-supported organisations for a 12-month period. That will address some of the issues that we discussed in the previous question in terms of sustainability and providing better services. That is definitely the kind of model I want to see grow. We hope to roll out the Achieve Together programme across the country and make it available to other organisations.
Sentiment score: 0.43
Mar is eol don Teachta, is le Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe an t-údarás maidir le cúrsaí forbartha na gcalaí ar na hOileáin Árann, Inis Oírr ina measc. As the Deputy knows, there are regular meetings between officials from my Department and Galway County Council to discuss and monitor pier development on the islands. The last meeting was held on Wednesday, 12 March, and the next meeting is scheduled for 8 April. With regard to the development of Inis Oírr Pier, Galway County Council is the contracting authority. It is responsible for all aspects of procurement. I understand that Galway County Council has formally completed the assessment and evaluation of all tender responses and a successful tenderer has been identified. Earlier this week, Galway County Council submitted the final business case to my Department, seeking approval to proceed with the project. This represents decision gate 3 as set out in the Government's infrastructure guidelines. The final case, which was received on Monday of this week, is now being reviewed by my Department. It will be checked for completeness in terms of the required elements, such as the overall cost and affordability of the proposal, and the benefits and risks associated with it. I know the Deputy has worked very hard on this and she will appreciate that this is a significant project, ní hamháin le haghaidh mhuintir Inis Oírr ach le haghaidh mo Roinne freisin. Caithfimid a bheith láidir sa tuiscint go bhfuil gach rud ceart agus cóir. Therefore, we need to be satisfied that the final business case meets the required standard. I have asked my Department to complete the review with care and attention and bring a recommendation to me as quickly as possible. I will keep the Deputy totally informed on this.
Sentiment score: 0.20
Níl na sonraí sin agam inniu, ach déarfaidh mé léi má tá siad ann. Ní cheapaim go bhfuil siad ann ag an bpointe seo, mar nílimid ach ag dul go dtí an tender stage. Beidh sé sin mar chuid den tender. Ach táim ag iarraidh go mbeidh-----
Sentiment score: -0.28
Are we talking about Inis Oírr?
Sentiment score: 0.00
Tá sé agam anseo go bhfuaireamar the tender report on Monday. Ní fhaca mé céard a leagadh amach ar Tuairisc, ach táimid ag iarraidh é seo a dhéanamh chomh luath agus is féidir. Dúirt mé le hoifigigh mo Roinne, nuair a phléifear an cheist seo, go gcaithfear é a dhéanamh go cúramach ach go sciobtha mar táimid ag fanacht chomh fada chun é a dhéanamh. Tiocfaidh mé ar ais chuig an Teachta leis na sonraí sin. Ceapaim go mbeidh na sonraí cosúil leis sin mar chuid den chonradh idir-----
Sentiment score: -0.22
Gan dabht. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh Gaeilge ag aon duine atá ag obair ar an togra seo agus go mbeidh siad ag fanacht ar an oileán.
Sentiment score: 0.00
The local improvement scheme supports improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its re-establishment in 2017, almost €170 million has been provided by the Government to local authorities under the scheme. In recent years, my Department has increased the year-on-year base funding for the scheme and has redirected savings from other areas of the Department to the scheme as they have arisen. In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for the scheme across all local authorities to cover 2024-25. As the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, said, we have recently opened the 2025 scheme and invited local authorities to submit their lists of priority roads for completion in 2025. Since 2017, Kerry has been allocated a total of €10.37 million in local improvement scheme funding. This figure includes the 2024-25 allocation of €2.57 million. Each year my Department carries out a review of the scheme to ensure allocations across local authorities are made as fairly and efficiently as possible. My departmental officials also work with local authorities to ensure that funding is fully utilised each year. Our Rural Future sets out that the Government will continue to invest in the local improvement scheme. I am personally committed to it and see the value of it in my county as well as in Kerry. We are endeavouring to get extra resources into it to ensure the backlog, as discussed between the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and Deputy Charles Ward, is addressed. We are awaiting from each council a list of priorities for 2025. They set those priorities.
Sentiment score: 0.29
I am not going to confirm anything at this stage. We have opened the scheme and are looking through the applications. One thing that worked in my Department under the previous Minister, Heather Humphreys, is that we allocated money to it from savings in the Department. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I have asked that this continue. I am engaging with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, regarding funding from that Department because the LIS is really important. We introduced changes to try to make it more open to people this year. I also draw attention to the fact that some local authorities spend it differently and seem to spend it more efficiently than others. I am looking at the amount spent per kilometre of road. We will be doing a little bit more work on that with the local authorities. For instance, one local authority spends €15.60 per square metre, while another spends €49.15. This is a relatively small island. I know there are cost disparities but there cannot be that level of cost disparity. The average across local authorities is €31.19. I agree that different LIS and different roads require different budgets but I will be doing some work on this. I have asked my Department officials to do some work on those kinds of disparities between local authorities. Neither of those local authorities are in Kerry by the way. I want to get to understand them and I want to ensure we are getting value for money, given the substantial investment we are making.
Sentiment score: 0.12
I note the Members' participation and the interest in the scheme. It was reintroduced in 2017. Base funding has increased year on year since 2021. Last year an additional €10 million in funding was secured. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will be monitoring capital expenditure across the Department to utilise any savings and LIS is a priority for us. I have engaged with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and his Department on getting extra funding. Deputy McGreehan made a very solid point about storm and weather events. We have increased substantially the funding since 2021 to address that and to give councils the chance to address that. Ultimately, the councils submit their lists and they submit their roads to our Department, so it comes from within the council. With their local knowledge, they can identify what their priorities are. We really leave it to the councils, based on their local knowledge and their local priorities, to decide what they need to submit to us.
Sentiment score: 0.19
The community recognition fund was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Through the 2023 allocation €50 million in funding was approved for some 900 projects. To further support communities a further €50 million in funding was announced under community recognition last March. The additional funding is specifically targeted at projects located in cities, towns and villages that are hosting beneficiaries of temporary protection or international protection applicants. In August 2024, €16.4 million was approved to deliver 185 community projects across the country. On 24 February, together with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, I approved over €14 million to deliver 164 projects across the country for the second tranche. The closing date for the third and final tranche has now passed and officials in the Department have commenced the process of reviewing the proposals submitted by each local authority. We will be announcing the successful projects under the tranche in the coming months. My immediate priority is to get the remaining projects approved and ensure the €100 million already allocated for the scheme is fully delivered to ensure all funded projects are completed as quickly as possible. To do that, we will continue to consider how we can further support towns and villages that are welcoming people. Any decision in respect of a further round of funding under the community recognition fund will be considered in the context of those deliberations and the annual budgetary process.
Sentiment score: 0.50
I thank Deputy Aird. As he said, there has been fantastic delivery in Laois through the community recognition fund, but that is coming from the communities themselves. Over €2 million was allocated across 2023 and 2024. There were 48 projects in 2023, 43 of which have been completed. Ninety-nine percent of the 2023 allocation has been drawn down. Under the fund for 2024, €1,012,996 was approved for eight projects. I look forward to the early drawdown of the funding for those projects. As the Deputy said, the initiative is community-led. It involves working with communities in the towns that propose projects in engagement with their local authorities. It involves very good expenditure and I want to make sure now that the money is all drawn down and the projects are delivered. I do not want to announce projects but not see them delivered on the ground. It is essential that they be delivered and that is going to be our focus now.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I am aware of the case. We have given feedback to Louth County Council on why the two applications could not proceed. However, the council has not lost any money as a consequence. It is important that it has been asked to submit alternative projects or further details on the proposed projects. The next project the Deputy mentioned, the community garden, is being assessed, and I will keep the Deputy informed about progress. It is very important to note that no money is being lost by Louth County Council as a consequence of the two projects not proceeding. We have engaged with the council on why there is concern in the Department about the projects.
Sentiment score: 0.13
The town and village renewal scheme, which was introduced in 2016, has to date allocated over €177 million to almost 1,800 projects nationally. The scheme, which sees our local authorities work with community actors, primarily targets funding at rural towns and villages with populations of less than 10,000. I am delighted to announce that the 2025 scheme has been opened for applications. The 2025 scheme is intended to support revitalisation and continue its work by focusing on stimulating town centre economic and social regeneration, along with the regeneration of villages. This will be achieved through projects that support sustainable employment, town centre resilience and regeneration, the enhancement of streetscapes, and the bringing of vacant and derelict buildings or lands back into use as community multipurpose spaces. Under the 2025 scheme, there are three main funding streams available for project applications. Under what we call the main scheme, local authorities can submit applications for one project up to a value of €500,000 and for up to thee further projects with maximum values of €300,000. In addition, as part of a new development this year, counties with offshore islands or ceantair Ghaeltachta, tá cead acu application amháin eile de luach €300,000 a dhéanamh. The second stream is the project development measure that provides up to €50,000 to undertake the required planning and development work to underpin the development of successful projects. Finally, the building and land acquisition measure is available once again, following on from the success of the support provided in this area in recent years. This funding stream makes up to €500,000 available to each eligible local authority to purchase vacant or derelict buildings for later development as community facilities. All the details of the 2025 scheme are available on my Department's website and my officials will continue to liaise with local authorities. I am happy to provide information to any Deputy who wishes to assist community groups in his or her area.
Sentiment score: 0.33
I agree with the Deputy on that. There are powers available to local authorities under the Department of housing and local government and they should be used more. To assist in that regard, my Department has funded 26 town regeneration officers in local authorities. Their job is to drive the delivery of the town centre first programme, which entails a suite of supports for which we have allocated €4.5 million to regenerate town centres through a bottom-up approach. It will allow for the development of a second phase of 26 town centre first plans, the establishment and development of town teams in smaller towns across the country and looking at that project development measure, which I referred to, as to the pipeline. Within County Kerry, town and village renewal has funded the purchase and regeneration of the Sisters of St. Clare convent in Kenmare into a community space. It has funded public realm enhancement in Ballybunion of up to €250,000 and the redevelopment of the disused craft workshops around Blennerville Mill in the Deputy's own town up to €500,000. We refurbished the former Garda station in Moyvane as a community activity with €250,000. Sixty-seven projects have been funded to date under town and village renewal in Kerry, a lot of them with a town centre focus, but with the partnership between the project development manager and the town centre teams and town centre first, we can get to somewhere like where the Deputy describes.
Sentiment score: 0.16
Anything to do with town centre refurbishment and regeneration should be done on a cross-government basis. Under town and village renewal and under the building or land acquisition measure, there might be potential for Kerry County Council to look at doing something if that plan continues. We are absolutely committed to town centre first and getting plans in place to identify this kind of project in advance and to look at the use of buildings in advance so they do not just get landed on people without notice and there is some sort of a plan. The town regeneration officers, the town centre first suite of supports and the building or land acquisition measure under town and village renewal gives the possibility, opportunity and chance to do that. As I said, we have previously funded the repurposing of courthouses. If Kerry County Council has a plan in relation to that building, I encourage it to discuss that. From the Department of Rural and Community Development, we have funded the employment of people within local authorities to apply for these plans and for the funding. It puts huge pressure on local authorities and it requires a level of expertise but we have made that funding available to do that.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I will definitely come back to the Deputy later. It will not be before the end of this time but I will clarify that because I have had a number of conversations with officials around pier development while preparing for questions and I have asked for more information on all of them. In relation to cúrsaí sa Chaladh Mór ar Inis Meáin, mar a dúirt mé leis an Teachta, is í Comhairle Chontae na Gaillimhe an t-údarás le haghaidh foirgnimh agus céanna ar na hOileáin Árann, Inis Meáin ina measc. I understand my Department gave approval to Galway County Council in December 2024 to proceed with the appointment of consultant engineers to develop the preliminary business case, incorporating a strategic assessment, for marine infrastructure improvement options on the island. Galway County Council confirmed to my Department at a meeting between officials, which was held on Wednesday, 12 March, that the independent consultant engineer has been appointed and has started work on the project. The assessment will examine all options that are available for improving the marine infrastructure on Inis Meáin, including piers for use by passenger and cargo ferry services. I am advised the tender document explicitly included a series of requirements regarding public consultation and engagement with island representatives, ensuring that the entire community of Inis Meáin has input into this process. To that regard, Galway County Council held a public consultation day in Ionad Pobail Inis Meáin on 19 March to ensure all stakeholders and those living on the island were aware of the process being undertaken and were given the opportunity to express their views. The consultants, together with representatives of Galway County Council, held meetings with various groups and business owners earlier that morning. The consultation was then open to all from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. to come in to discuss concerns or preferences for future infrastructure development. I understand the consultant engineers are due to complete their programme of work later this year. We will continue to engage with Galway County Council. I want this project to be completed and to progress as quickly as possible. I have asked for a report on the consultation day and the feedback that was received on that to be given to me as soon as possible.
Sentiment score: 0.27
Yes.
Sentiment score: 0.40
I know from discussing this with officials about the Deputy's interest in this and I know my predecessor, the then Minister, Heather Humphreys, drove this. Certainly, on the basis of discussions I have had, I am not happy it has taken so long and I intend to sit on it and drive it on as well. The business case is expected to take around nine months. The work is under way but it is expected to take that time. There are a lot of complexities to this in relation to Caladh Mór agus an Céibh an Chóra. I am trying to get my head around all of those complexities as well. I can assure the Deputy I will work with her and with colleagues of all parties there to ensure we progress this as quickly as possible and there are no further delays. I have asked for a report on the consultation day to be given to me as soon as possible in order that I can ensure the concerns that were expressed are captured within the business assessment process, they are not ignored and it was not just a box-ticking exercise. I absolutely agree with the Deputy. I cannot begin to imagine the frustration and anger of pobal Inis Meáin. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil siad mar pháirt den fhreagra ar an bhfadhb seo.
Sentiment score: 0.17
I do intend to go to Inis Meáin at some stage to see for myself, not just on the pier issue but on all island issues. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will be working collectively as regards the islands. I understand a number of marine assessments and studies have been undertaken on the island over the past few years, including bathymetric surveys and a marine simulation exercise. The bathymetric surveys were carried out on both Céibh an Chóra agus an Caladh Mór. They were provided to the consultant engineers as part of their work. Also, they have been provided with the study that was carried out by the National Maritime College, Cork, as regards the marine simulation exercise. That simulated the type of vessel that will be used for passenger and cargo ferry services to the island. Those data have been provided and will be given to determine the viable options to provide the most important thing, which is safe and accessible harbour facilities. I know the Deputy will be tabling this question every month and we will keep actively engaged on it in between Question Time as well.
Sentiment score: 0.16
I thank the Deputy for his question about men's sheds. I absolutely agree that men's sheds have been a very positive development for communities across Ireland. They provide a safe, comfortable and inclusive environment where people can share skills, work on meaningful projects and connect with their communities. I am absolutely committed to supporting the work of men's sheds. The programme for Government includes a commitment to continue to fund men's sheds. My Department currently provides a range of supports which are available to men's sheds. These include the €7 million local enhancement programme 2025, which allowed men's sheds to apply for running costs, as well as small capital works for their facilities; the SICAP; and the LEADER programme, where funding is not targeted at any particular group but focused on a thematic approach. My Department also provides funding directly to the Irish Men's Sheds Association under the scheme to support national organisations to support administrative costs. In previous years, ring-fenced funding was provided to the Irish Men's Sheds Association for distribution to its members. This funding followed on from proposals submitted by the IMSA. Late in 2024, my officials reached out to the Irish Men's Sheds Association regarding its funding requirements. It was advised that the IMSA was not in a position to submit a proposal for funding at that time but indicated that it would be in contact with my Department in 2025. I will meet the Irish Men's Sheds Association along with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, in the coming weeks to discuss its proposals and I will update the Deputy afterwards.
Sentiment score: 0.37
Deputy Healy raised this issue with me last week. There is no issue. We have provided funding over recent years. We wanted to provide funding last year but were unable to find a mechanism to do so. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will have a meeting with the Irish Men's Sheds Association. In the meantime, I refer the Deputy to the local enhancement programme. There was money in that for local men's sheds. That will be decided on in the coming weeks.
Sentiment score: -0.04