Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 March 2026
988. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will initiate a review of the salary for community services programme managers, due to their current low level of income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16195/26]
View answerMy Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) 2023-2027 currently supports 426 community-based organisations, with a budget allocation of €59.4m for 2026, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. The CSP Programme provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a manager. There are currently 350 managers supported under the Programme. The CSP contribution is not aligned with the minimum wage and is not intended to meet the full salary cost of supported posts. It is an annual contribution that must be co-funded by other sources - for example, from income received from the public for the use of their facilities and services - in order to meet, at a minimum, the national minimum wage rates that are applicable to their employees. My Department has no operational role in relation to the wage rates paid by CSP-supported organisations. These are solely matters for the Boards of those organisations to manage as the respective employers, subject to compliance with employment legislation. A review of the categorisation of organisations under the funding model for the current CSP Programme was conducted in 2025, as well as a review of funding rates in light of changes in employment costs. This resulted in 55 organisations moving to a higher funding category, with 47 managers receiving increased supports for 2026 and 2027. Further to this, an increase of €400 per annum was provided to all CSP-supported manager posts in 2026 to contribute towards increases in the costs of employment. These positive changes mean that my Department has provided increased funding to most CSP-funded organisations in each of the past four years. The current CSP Programme funding contracts run to the end of 2027. In advance of the post 2027 re-contracting process, my Department intends to review the overall funding model for the programme, which will include a review of all staff funding rates. Any organisation that requires further supports may wish to consider contacting the relevant Local Development Company or Local Authority Local Community Development Committee, which may be able to provide some guidance on other supports available at this time.
