Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions – Dáil Éireann (34th Dáil) – Thursday, 26 Mar 2026

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Library Services

Pádraig Rice

Question:

2. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the funding, both capital and current, allocated to Cork City Council for library services in its administrative area in each of the years from 2019 to 2025 and to date in 2026, by library; the engagements he has had with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the new Cork city library project to ensure that it is designed and developed in line with his Department’s National Public Library Strategy 2023-2027 - The Library is the Place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23346/26]

Deputy Pádraig Rice

My question relates to the development of a new library for Cork. In March 2021, the Taoiseach announced that €50 million would be spent transforming Grand Parade by providing a new public library, plaza and boardwalk. Staff at the library do a fantastic job but the building is not fit for purpose. It does not reflect the services and it is not befitting of the second city. We are five years later and we have no new library. Even more concerning is that there is very little information about this project. We urgently need an update because the people of Cork want a new city library.

Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jerry Buttimer)

I thank Deputy Rice for raising the matter. I concur with him that we have an extraordinary dedicated library staff in Cork city right across all sections of our library service. As the Deputy will be well aware, the current libraries capital programme 2023-2027 is investing €22.6 million in 11 state-of-the-art library infrastructure projects around the country and a further €2.6 million in 12 next-generation mobile library vehicles across Ireland. Funding of €8.3 million has been provided by our Department to support Cork City Council's public library services since 2019, through the libraries capital programme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Details of this expenditure will be provided separately to Deputy Rice as requested.

As the Deputy will be aware, the provision of library services is primarily a matter for local authorities - in this case, Cork City Council - in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001.

The Cork city library is one element of the overall Grand Parade quarter project, which is being funded through the urban regeneration and development fund, administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. My officials are in regular contact with colleagues in the URDF unit in that Department on the matter. In line with a commitment in the national public library strategy, the libraries development unit in our Department issued updated public library standards and benchmarks to all library authorities, including Cork City Council, earlier this year.

We all share the ambition to have a state-of-the-art library in Cork City Council. I got involved in politics campaigning for my own local library in Bishopstown, where we had none. Thankfully, we have a magnificent library now adjacent to Wilton Shopping Centre. Like Deputy Rice, we in this Department, with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, share the ambition to have a modern state-of-the-art library for Cork city. That is a project we will all support.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

We can have the ambition but we need the delivery and it has now been five years since the Taoiseach came to Cork and announced there would be a new city library, and there has been no development. The issue here is that nobody is taking responsibility for the project. The Government says it is the responsibility of the council. The council says it is waiting on the Government. This passing of the buck must stop. I have tried really hard to work with everybody constructively on this. During my time as a councillor, I submitted multiple questions and a motion to the council on it. My party colleague Councillor Niamh O'Connor has done the same. I had multiple meetings with librarians and council staff. We have submitted questions and got identical answers. For over a year now, Cork City Council has been giving us identical answers and no new information. We resorted to submitting freedom of information, FOI, requests to the council. They have all been refused. I have asked questions to the Taoiseach here and not got an answer. I understand a business case has finally been submitted to the Department of housing and local government. Has that been reviewed? Has the Minister of State's Department looked at that business case? We need a working group, the various Departments and the council to come together to work on this project and deliver the world-class library the people of Cork were promised over five years ago by the Government.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

To clarify for the Deputy so that he knows, it is not our Department that is responsible; it is the Department of housing. To help him again, Cork City Council is the responsible local authority. I think Deputy Rice was at the briefing we had as Members of the Oireachtas with the chief executive of the city council before Christmas, where we believe the city council identified a site. Work is ongoing. Our Department is committed in terms of our responsibility. The Department of housing is equally committed, as Deputy Rice will know. It should be put on record that this Government has been supportive and has funded Cork City Council and the regeneration of Cork city. I hope the Deputy understands that the element we speak about today, the library, on which we agree, is one element of the Grand Parade project and has been allocated funding under the urban regeneration and development fund. That funding has been provided. Equally, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the previous Minister, Heather Humphreys, provided moneys under the URDF to Cork County Council, and we committed to and have built two libraries in Macroom and Youghal. I agree that our library staff are fantastic in Cork city. Our library needs to be that flagship for the part of the city we are regenerating. I look forward to working with the Deputy and with Cork City Council to develop that project.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

The Minister of State's Department is responsible for libraries. My point here is that his Department and the Department of public expenditure and reform, the Department of housing and local government, and the city council need to work together to deliver this project, which was promised over five years ago. The real frustration here is the lack of information and the lack of public consultation on this key project. A campaign group has been set up to push for action on this project. It has set out its vision for how public authorities could engage in a public consultation. It has also set out a clear vision of what the library should look like, namely, a world-class library, a cathedral of learning in the heart of the city, and it has shared that with the Department. The lack of progress on this library is really frustrating. We have just seen delay after delay. It is not the only capital project that has been delayed in Cork city. It has now been ten years since the sod was turned on the event centre; and there is still no event centre. It has been five years since the library was announced, and there is no library. No funding has been allocated for the Luas, BusConnects is still delayed, and there is no safe injection facility and no homeless hub. The list goes on. The Government promises capital investment and projects for Cork city and it fails to deliver them time and again. We really need to see progress on a new city library in the heart of Cork city.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

Deputy Rice comes in here and speaks about a cathedral of learning and it is wonderful rhetoric. I share his view. I am equally ambitious for Cork. I have been involved in public life for 21 years as a member of Cork City Council and as a Member of the Oireachtas and the library will be transformative for our city. The chief executive outlined at his briefing with us that the project in the library is one element of the overall Grand Parade project. The funding has been allocated and is ring-fenced.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

Five years.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

The funding is ring-fenced. It is very easy for the Deputy to come in here. I have met Colette Kelleher, the chair of the action group, and I am as committed as the Deputy is. Again, it is not our Department that is responsible.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

No one is.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

The Deputy is certainly not responsible, and it is very easy to speak to the papers and come in here and shout and roar every day but he delivers nothing but rhetoric. That is all he delivers.

Deputy Pádraig Rice

I call the Government to account for its promises.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

Our Government will deliver a library, working with Cork City Council, which is the lead agency. The Deputy knows that himself. He was a member of Cork City Council.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere)

I thank the Minister of State. We are out of time.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

We agree on the final point. We need to have a city library that is fit for purpose and our staff are the best in the country.

Cúrsaí Tithíochta

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

1. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht an nglacann sé leis an gcáineadh ar chur chuige na Roinne sa rún a d’aontaigh an Dáil maidir le cúrsaí tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht ag tús mhí an Mhárta, agus an bhfuil sé i gceist aige gníomhú dá réir; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [22301/26]

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Tá brón orm as bheith beagáinín déanach. Ghlac an Dáil seo le cinneadh nuair a bhí rún os comhair na Dála maidir le cúrsaí tithíochta. Laistigh den rún sin bhí cáineadh ar an gcur chuige a bhí ag an Rialtas ó thaobh na tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht go dtí seo. Cad atá chun tarlú dá réir?

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Dara Calleary)

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Is fiú a thabhairt faoi deara go dtiteann freagracht as cúrsaí tithíochta ar bhonn ginearálta ar an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta agus nach bhfuil ach ról tánaisteach ag mo Roinn féin i mbeartas tithíochta. É sin ráite, tá soláthar tithíochta dóibh siúd atá ina gcónaí agus ag obair sa Ghaeltacht thar a bheith tábhachtach dom. Go deimhin, tá tithíocht riachtanach chun an teanga, seirbhísí, fostaíocht, fiontraíocht agus deiseanna eile sa Ghaeltacht a fhorbairt. Agus é sin san áireamh, tá céimeanna tacaíochta á dtógáil chun na críche seo.

Tá an Bille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024 le tógáil ar Chéim na Tuarascála go gairid. Cé gurb é athbhunú toghchán bhord an údaráis príomhchuspóir an Bhille seo, ar mhaithe le tacú le soláthar tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht déanfar leasú sa Bhille ar alt 8 den Acht um Údarás na Gaeltachta chun cead a thabhairt don údarás talamh a dhíol le comhlacht tithíochta ceadaithe nó le húdarás tithíochta nó a dhiúscairt ar shlí eile chun tithíocht a sholáthar sa Ghaeltacht. Tá mé féin agus mo chomhghleacaí, an tAire, an Teachta Browne, ag obair go dlúth lena chéile ar an gceist seo lenár gcuid oifigeach agus tá obair shuntasach déanta ag an Roinn ag forbairt ráiteas pleanála náisiúnta don Ghaeltacht. Tá sé beartaithe go bhfoilseofar an ráiteas pleanála náisiúnta don Ghaeltacht sa chéad leath de 2027 ach beidh sé ag tarlú roimhe sin.

I bplean tithíochta an Rialtais a fhoilsíodh le déanaí, gealltar an ráiteas a fhoilsiú agus moltar scrúdú a dhéanamh ar fhéidearthachtaí Údarás na Gaeltachta oibriú le hUisce Éireann agus le húdaráis áitiúla chun tacú le tithíocht a thógáil do phobail labhartha na Gaeilge. Reáchtáil mé cruinniú le gairid idir Údarás na Gaeltachta agus Uisce Éireann chun a chinntiú go ndéanfar dul chun cinn gan dua maidir leis an fhéidearthacht seo a scrúdú. Is fiú a nótáil go bhfuil obair thábhachtach ar bun ag Údarás na Gaeltachta chun fostaíocht a chur ar fáil do phobal na Gaeltachta. Ní bheadh sé cuí béim agus fócas na heagraíochta i gcomhlíonadh an róil sin a laghdú. Beidh ról tánaisteach ach tábhachtach ag Údarás na Gaeltachta maidir le soláthar tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht i dteannta ról na Roinne Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta agus go háirithe ról na n-údarás áitiúla.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Tá súil agam go mbeidh Bille Údarás na Gaeltachta ag teacht chugainn ar Chéim an Tuarascála gan mhoill mar tá obair fós le déanamh ar an mBille sin le cinntiú go mbeidh, ó thaobh an róil a luadh maidir le tithíocht, ról ceart ag an údarás amach anseo maidir leis na suíomhanna atá aige ach chomh maith leis sin ó thaobh chuir chuige. Tá ról ag Údarás na Gaeltachta maidir le pleanáil teanga, ní díreach tionsclaíocht. Déanann daoine dearmad go minic ar an ról lárnach sin atá aige. Ní gá an talamh atá ag an údarás a dhíol le AHB; s féidir leis an údarás an talamh sin a ligean ar léas. Luaigh an tAire cruinniú le hUisce Éireann le déanaí.

Mar chuid de róil Údarás na Gaeltachta, tá suíomhanna aige. Tá tionsclaíocht ar chuid de na suíomhanna sin ach d’fhéadfadh an chuid eile de na suíomhanna a bheith ina n-eastáit thithíochta dá mbeadh cead aige, nó ag dream éigin eile, an córas séarachais atá aige don eastát tionsclaíochta a úsáid do thithíocht chomh maith.

Deputy Dara Calleary

Aontaím leis an Teachta. Tá an obair sin ar siúl. Bhí cruinniú agam le príomhfheidhmeannach an údaráis. Tá liosta déanta agus tá muid ag déanamh oibre ar an liosta sin faoi shuíomhanna cosúil leis sin. Níl sé chomh éasca sin, áfach. I roinnt de na suíomhanna sin, tá cúrsaí séarachais agus uisce réasúnta láidir, ach níl aon seirbhísí i suíomhanna eile.

Maidir le ceadúnais pleanála sa Ghaeltacht, i mbliana, bhí 53 teach nua ceadaithe as 62 iarratas i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe. I nGaeltacht Mhaigh Eo, sa bhliain seo, bhí 25 iarratas agus gan aon teach diúltaithe. I nGaeltacht Phort Láirge, i nDáilcheantar an Teachta McGuinness, níor diúltaíodh aon cheann as trí iarratas go fóill. Anuraidh, bhí 25 iarratas ceadaithe sa Ghaeltacht sinn agus diúltaíodh dhá iarratas. Tá a lán oibre ar siúl. Tá daoine ag iarraidh a rá nach bhfuil aon rud ag tarlú ach tá a lán rudaí ag tarlú. Ag féachaint ar na deontais le haghaidh na dtithe folmha, tá rudaí ar siúl ansin freisin. Tá obair le déanamh againn leis an údarás agus tá muid ag déanamh na hoibre sin sula dtiocfaidh an Bille os comhair na Dála, rud a tharlóidh roimh an samhradh.

Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Níl mé ag rá nach bhfuil aon rud ag tarlú. Aithním go bhfuil nithe ag tarlú. Tá siad ag tarlú i gceantair ar leith ar luas rómhall, áfach. Caithfidh muid straitéis a bheith againn sna háiteanna ina bhfuil na scoileanna i mbaol de bharr easpa páistí. Má aithníonn muid é sin anois, is cóir go mbeidh straitéis ann. Níl de dhíth ach dhá nó trí theach le teaghlaigh iontu chun scoileanna a choimeád oscailte i roinnt de na ceantair seo. Ní mór dúinn dul isteach agus féachaint ar líon na suíomhanna atá ann agus, mar a dúirt an tAire, líon na dtithe atá tréigthe agus iad a chur ar ais in úsáid. Muna bhfuil straitéis ann, fágfar é seo. Beidh na háiteanna seo tréigthe. Beidh na scoileanna agus na clubanna CLG dúnta dá réir de dheasca nach bhfuil aon dream ag teacht isteach. Tá tithe samhraidh sna ceantair seo, agus bíonn siad ar díol. Ba chóir go mbeadh straitéis ag an gcomhairle, ag an Stát nó ag Údarás na Gaeltachta na tithe seo a cheannach lena gcur ar an liosta tithe sóisialta nó inacmhainne le ligin do theaghlaigh bogadh isteach sna ceantair sin. Ní hamháin go bhfuil gá le tithe nua a sholáthar agus na cinn atá tréigthe a chur ar ais in úsáid, ach ní mór dúinn na tithe samhraidh atá ar díol faoi láthair a aistriú ina dtithe teaghlaigh.

Deputy Dara Calleary

Tá muid go léir le chéile air seo. Is é sin an fáth nach ndeachaigh muid i gcoinne an rúin mar tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil guth láidir sa Dáil seo faoi thithíocht sa Ghaeltacht. Tá muid ag oibriú uirthi. Tá a lán freagraí ann, agus tá sé sin tábhachtach. Bhí cruinnithe agam leis na príomhfheidhmeannaigh sna húdaráis áitiúla. Chuir mé brú orthu agus chuir mé an scéal seo os a gcomhair leis na sonraí sin a fháil. Déanfaidh mé obair eile maidir leis na sonraí atá leagtha amach ag an Teachta Ó Snodaigh faoi na scoileanna atá faoi bhrú sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Déanfaidh muid staidéar air sin le feiceáil má tá suíomh in aice láimhe ina mbeidh muid in ann rudaí a dhéanamh. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go bhfuil an infreastruchtúr sin iontu, lena n-áirítear infreastruchtúr oideachais, spóirt agus saoil do dhaoine sa Ghaeltacht. Tá muid, mar Rialtas, tar éis infheistíocht mhór a chur i scoileanna. Tá muid dírithe air seo. Beidh muid i dteagmháil leis an gcoiste tar éis na Cásca mar caithfidh muid na cáilíochtaí a ligfeadh do dhuine teach a thógáil sa Ghaeltacht a phlé. Ní mór dúinn na caighdeáin teanga agus cúrsaí mar sin a phlé. Tá muid ag súil leis sin a phlé leis an gcoiste. Tá muid ag oibriú air seo. Tá muid ag oibriú go díreach agus tá mé ag cur an-bhrú ar mo chomhghleacaithe Airí.

Fuel Poverty

Louise O'Reilly

Question:

3. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the way in which he intends to assist rural communities both households and local civil society organisations amidst rising oil prices and general trends indicating a rise in energy poverty; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22887/26]

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness

Tá mé ag tógáil na ceiste seo thar ceann an Teachta O’Reilly. I am taking this question for Deputy Louise O'Reilly. It is to ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the way in which he intends to assist rural communities, both households and local civil society organisations, amidst rising oil prices and general trends indicating a rise in energy poverty, and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Deputy Dara Calleary

I thank Deputy McGuinness for raising this question.

We are very aware of rising energy costs, which are being driven by the global uncertainty caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. These are affecting everybody in society, including communities and civil society organisations. This week, the Government agreed on a €250 million package to alleviate the impact of the rise in energy costs caused by this conflict. These measures, which include measures administered my other Department, the Department of Social Protection, will assist those most in need of financial support.

As regards the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, significant levels of financial support are currently being provided by Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, to community organisations under a number of different programmes and schemes. With a budget estimate for the Department totalling €611 million, funding of €260 million is available for community development programmes in 2026. A particular focus of community development is to support marginalised and disadvantaged communities and those who are most likely to be hit hardest by rising energy costs. An allocation of €74 million is being provided to the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, and other social inclusion measures in 2026.

The community services programme, CSP, currently supports the delivery of 445 local services via 426 organisations, and we have announced new funding for CSP this year. The scheme to support national organisations, SSNO, currently provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of 82 organisations that address poverty, social exclusion and promote equality. The local enhancement programme, LEP, is providing small grants to community groups to enhance their facilities, with supports available to community centres, local development associations, social clubs, senior citizen groups, men’s and women’s sheds.

The financial package introduced by the Government will reduce the pressure being experienced by households and communities. At present we do not have any plans at present to introduce additional funding supports for community and voluntary organisations but we continue to monitor the situation very closely.

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness

On the package of measures announced this week, the general consensus among the public, and certainly on this side of the House, was that it was much too late and far too little. It does not go anywhere near the kind of intervention needed in our society at present, in light of the current crisis and illegal war in the Middle East and the ensuing increase in fuel and energy costs but also in light of the broader context of increasing energy poverty and an increasing cost-of-living crisis. It does precious little for households across the State but many of these crises are being felt particularly in rural communities.

The dependence on diesel and petrol for transport is more pronounced in many of these communities, and there is a particular dependence on home heating oil in rural communities. The fact home heating oil was not included in that package of measures in any meaningful sense has left people agog and deeply disappointed as well as angry.

I will put an additional question to the Minister. Will the fairly mean extension of the fuel allowance be paid out as a lump sum or will that be paid out on a weekly basis? People really want to know if that will be cause for intervention in a meaningful way in their lives.

Deputy Dara Calleary

There was consensus on the vote and Sinn Féin was the only party to oppose the reduction in excise duty. Every other party in the House supported it. A total of 467,204 people will get fuel allowance and there is an extension of four weeks. That is an investment of €71 million. The majority of the recipients of the fuel allowance payment live in rural counties. That is €152. My understanding, which I will clarify for the Deputy, is that it will be paid weekly. We want to get it to people as quickly as possible. That €152 extra will make a difference and will bring in fuel allowance season right to the week ending 1 May. There was a €5 increase this year as well.

For the first time, just under 50,000 families in receipt of the working family payment will also get the fuel allowance. Again, the working family payment is right across the country, including in rural Ireland.

We have said we will keep the position under review. Were we to adopt Sinn Féin's position and react to every crisis by throwing cash at it, we would not have the capacity to deliver, keep things under review and put further investments in if this situation in the Middle East continues.

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness

Some 750,000 people are dependent on home heating oil. Many hundreds of thousands of families are already in significant energy arrears with bills. People are going cold and rationing heat and electricity in their own homes because of the wider cost-of-living crisis that existed before the war against Iran. This is the reality the proposals and the measures are not tackling and not facing up to. Nobody would criticise €152 extra paid out over four weeks to bring people up to May but it is not nearly enough. It does not address all those not receiving fuel allowance who are struggling and does not come anywhere near addressing the huge backlogs and arrears that people are in. We need to see more action.

On the community civil society organisations, many are already struggling. I was talking to SICAP and LEADER companies yesterday. They receive no core funding to implement those programmes, so they are already pinned to their collars in terms of overheads and costs to keep themselves running. It is putting those programmes and the myriad of other schemes, projects and programmes they operate in real jeopardy.

Deputy Dara Calleary

In relation to the LEADER companies, I assure the Deputy that they have substantial administration budgets. We are working with them closely to make sure they invest it. As I said, we continue to monitor the position and we will continue to do that. We can do that because we have a strong economy. We can do that because we have made decisions that are sensible and evidence-based over many years. The €250 million investment is one of the biggest in Europe when we look at what is happening in the UK where they have invested, I think, £35 million. This gives us a sense that we are doing this in a targeted way. Those 467,000 people are families on fuel allowance, and this makes a big difference to those families. For the first time, fuel allowance has been extended to working families. They are spread right across the country, in rural areas and in cities, and this is making an immediate difference. Our economic policies that are focused and ambitious mean we are in a position to put €250 million in at this point. We continue to keep the position under review. The Deputy’s party’s position is to throw money at everything. Were we to follow that position, we would not have the resources available that we have now.

Departmental Funding

Emer Currie

Question:

4. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whether consideration has been given to introducing dedicated community support officers at local level to assist community groups with accessing funding streams, including grant applications and associated administrative requirements, particularly in areas where groups may have limited capacity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23210/26]

Deputy Barry Ward

I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Peter Roche, who unfortunately cannot be here. His brother, Vincent Roche, passed away yesterday evening.

An Cathaoirleach Gníomhach (Deputy John Paul O'Shea)

This is Question No. 4.

Deputy Barry Ward

Yes, I am taking it. It was originally a question put down by Deputy Roche. He cannot be here today because his brother passed away last night. I extend my sympathies to the family at this sad time. This question relates to the idea that we would have community assistance officers in local authorities to help community groups to apply for funding and short-circuit the administration and bureaucracy involved in making those applications and help them to get what they need for the local communities.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

I join with Deputy Ward in sending our condolences to Deputy Roche. I thank the Deputy for taking the question.

Our Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. A number of programmes provide funding for staff resources to engage with and support communities, including building their capacity to access Government funding schemes. The social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, is the State’s primary social inclusion programme. It provides supports to disadvantaged communities and individuals to improve their life chances.

The SICAP initiative supports collective community engagement, providing direct supports to local community groups, LCGs, and networks. This includes developing their capacity to better engage with other groups, improve outcomes in their communities, and address social exclusion issues. In 2025, SICAP supported over 2,500 LCGs and networks in this way. Additionally, the empowering communities programme, ECP, enhances access to key services and supports communities to respond to area-based poverty and social exclusion. Community workers act as a local resource, as Members will know, including supporting groups with activities such as funding applications and administrative requirements.

Separately, our Department’s LEADER programme is a community-led approach to local development delivered in rural areas across the country by a network of local action groups, LAGs. The funding provided by our Department supports eligible projects relating to community groups and rural businesses, and also contributes to LAG administration costs, in terms of the budgets there, as the Minister said, to support work such as engaging with prospective applicants regarding their application.

I assure the Deputy that work remains ongoing in our Department to look at the best ways to ensure that disadvantaged communities are provided with the support they need to underpin their sustainable development.

Deputy Barry Ward

I acknowledge what the Minister of State said about the amount of funding and supports there. The Minister of State and I know that Deputy Peter Roche, in particular, has done a huge amount of work in this area. He has worked particularly in the context of helping to support community organisations in his area. The difficulty he has identified, and other colleagues tell me they see it all over the country, is not a lack of funding, because there is a huge amount of funding there for the very communities the Minister of State mentioned, but a difficulty accessing it. Sometimes very bureaucratic and onerous processes have to be gone through. The idea behind this question is that there would be a community support officer in the local authority in the local area with the institutional knowledge and memory of how these forms need to be done, what systems need to be put in place and which boxes need to be ticked to ensure local community organisations get the most they can out of the SICAP funding the Minister of State mentioned and any of the other streams of funding available. The money is there. This is about ensuring that local organisations, which may not have a very strong organisational basis themselves, get every opportunity they can to access the funding and do good things in local communities.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

The Deputy is right. The Minister and I are very much committed to making it easier for people and groups to apply, whether that is the local development group or the LEADER programme. I will be answering another question from Deputy Currie in a minute with probably the same replies. It is about working, in our case, with Pobal, as an example, to make it easier for people to apply and get that online guidance and support in the context of an application.

If I can use the phrase, there should be no wrong door in an application process. Having been involved in my own community association and GAA club and going through a myriad of funding applications, I fully concur with the Deputy that it should not be a complex process. If a process is started, it should not be necessary to go back to the beginning and start again. In many cases, applications should not have to be declared invalid. We should be able to work with and assist, as the Deputy rightly said, community and voluntary groups in respect of building their capacity to empower and enhance their own local areas. I look forward to working with the Deputy and Deputy Roche in putting in place an administrative pathway to make applying for grants easier.

Deputy Barry Ward

I welcome what the Minister of State said about there not being a wrong door. He is absolutely right. Applications should not be cancelled because of an administrative error or something like that. At the same time, we both recognise that this is public money, and there needs to be transparency and things need to be done right. That is important too.

Even in relation to what the Minister of State said about online applications, very often we are dealing with small community groups. There might be one person or a small committee involved in making the application, and it can sometimes be very onerous on them. The idea here is that there would be somebody in the local authority who knows exactly how the applications work, and who might be able to look at a group's application before it is submitted online or in paper format and advise the group where there might be a problem or where something might need to be changed, such as opening a bank account or whatever it might be. For example, many local authorities have officers who deal with European funding because of the same administrative and bureaucratic burdens on organisations in getting funding in this context. Is there a role for a community support officer to do the same thing in relation to national funding for community groups?

Deputy Jerry Buttimer

I would make the point to Deputy Ward that we already have a range of programmes on the ground that provide support and offer dedicated staff access and a pathway for applications, whether this is for SICAP, ECP or LEADER. They are assisting communities and working to engage with funding and services. For me, and I know the Deputy is the same, a core feature of what we do is not just about providing support and capital investment but about ensuring we can strengthen local areas. The Deputy is right that there is the Government’s piece and a transparency piece. For me, however, it must be about how we can help and assist community groups, as an example, to navigate and be aware of the different programmes. I think the local community development groups and the LAGs provide that kind of signposting and a roadmap. We will discuss further the question the Deputy asked, and the question Deputy Currie will ask in a second.

It is about ensuring we work with all groups to provide clarity but also that navigability should not be too complex.

Dáil Éireann debate - Thursday, 26 Mar 2026