Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 May 2025
393. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the criteria used to assess the performance and impact of SICAP-funded initiatives; and if he will publish the latest programme evaluation findings. [21890/25]
View answerThe Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention. This is a national programme that is delivered in both rural and urban areas by Local Development Companies to help those in the greatest need.
SICAP has 2 programme goals. Goal one is supporting communities, which involves supporting local community groups representing disadvantaged communities and target groups so that they can work towards solving social exclusion issues that affect them. Goal two involves supporting individuals who have been identified as being in need, to improve their life chances. This can be through lifelong learning and training, labour market supports to improve work readiness, or working with people in broader and more holistic ways so that they can improve their quality of life and general well-being.
Under each of these goals, Programme Implementers (PIs) and their relevant Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) are required to set and meet Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) based on indicative Department data on an annual basis. Information on KPI outputs as well as beneficiary progress and results are captured through the Integrated Reporting and Information System – IRIS. Reports can be generated through IRIS summarising key information about SICAP, assisting LCDCs and PIs to monitor progress, as well as supporting Pobal and my Department with overall SICAP monitoring.
Programme impact and outcomes are also recorded in Annual Reports and Case Studies submitted each year by Programme Implementers. An end of programme report for SICAP 2018 to 2023 is also nearing finalisation and will be published shortly.
In addition to the continuous in-programme monitoring, my Department regularly commissions research and assessments of programme efficacy for SICAP, with research conducted by Pobal and the ESRI, including comparative data on Women and Men supported by SICAP, the ESRI Evaluation of Pre-Employment Supports under SICAP, the Role of SICAP in Supporting New Arrivals and so on which are available on Pobal's website here: www.pobal.ie/programmes/social-inclusion-and-community-activation-programme-sicap-2024-2028/
Finally, a key part of the design and development of each new iteration of the programme is the commissioning of an independent review of the prior programme and a holistic stakeholder consultation, the most recent of which was conducted on behalf of the Department by KPMG. The findings of the Review and Consultation for SICAP 2018-2023, which heavily informed programme design for SICAP 2024+, are available on my Department’s website here: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development/policy-information/social-inclusion-and-community-activation-programme-sicap/
