Written Answers Nos. 336-354
339. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will consider reforms to the means test for SUSI grants to include significant financial commitments such as mortgage and rent costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50073/26]
View answerThe Student Grant Scheme, administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland), provides grant assistance to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
Student grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions if outgoings were also to be assessed. This means test is applied nationally to all applicants. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income, before deduction of income tax or universal social charge, is assessed.
Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme mortgage or rental payments are not considered as deductions when calculating reckonable income for any applicant. As is the case in any statutory scheme, a core principle is that there is consistency of approach for applicants as part of the means assessment process. The terms and conditions of funding are applied impartially to all applicants, and this approach ensures fairness to all applying for a student grant.
However, certain specified social welfare and support payments are excluded for income assessment purposes under Article 22(4) of the Student Grant Scheme. These include the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, which are both local authority supports for individuals and families at risk of homelessness. In addition to this, income from Rent Supplement is not included in calculating reckonable income for SUSI purposes.
Many long-term payments from the Department of Social Protection are not disregarded. However, Schedule 2 of the 2026 Student Grant Scheme lists the Eligible Long-term payments for the highest rate of maintenance grant for the 2026/27 academic year.
It should be noted that any change or modification to the provisions which set out reckonable income, such as the disregard of any additional payments, or changes to how certain payments are treated under the scheme, would entail significant cost. The funding allocation for student supports is determined in the context of the estimates and budgetary process, having regard to overall resource constraints and multiple competing demands.
Budget 2026 provided significant improvements to existing supports under the Student Grant Scheme for the 2026/27 academic year. These enhancements include an increase in all non-adjacent maintenance rates and an increase of the SUSI threshold up to €120,000. I will continue to work to ensure that changes to the scheme benefit learners and their families in addressing costs of further and higher education.
340. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in view of Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2026, whether any citizen science initiatives are planned as part of the presidency programme, having regard to the role of citizen engagement within the European Union Missions framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50128/26]
View answerDuring Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, DFHERIS will host a series of open events in the coming months, aligned with OECD recommendations to embed citizen science as a mainstream, recognised and well-supported element of research policy:
• Marie Sklodowska Curie Actions (MSCA) Conference - Celebrating Mobility, Shaping Resilience
• Week of Innovative Regions in Europe (WIRE) - Future Regions: The Role of Sustainable Innovation in European Competitiveness
• European Innovation Council (EIC) Advance event - Advance: Progress and Future of EU's startup and Scale up Ecosystem
These events aim to foster broad engagement across researchers, policymakers and citizens, reflecting the OECD’s call for inclusive, participatory approaches to knowledge production and innovation.
Further and higher education also has a key role to play in advancing science-related fields amongst EU citizens. The Irish Presidency intends to advance work on Council Conclusions both on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and training and on AI-related skills and competences across education and training.
While the content of any such Conclusions will depend on the discussions at the EYCS Council, it is Ireland's intention that the Conclusions on STEM education and training would?establish?it as a priority area for the Council and the EU. In relation to the Council Conclusions in the area of AI-related skills and competences, Ireland’s intention is that they would focus on building AI literacy and responsible use across education, ensuring an ethical and evidence informed approach to AI in education, and strengthening governance and the readiness of education systems.
341. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to list each funding instrument, PhD programme, fellowship, award, public engagement programme or research infrastructure programme under his Department or Research Ireland that has supported citizen science, citizen generated data, public participation in data collection, or open source research infrastructure, including the scheme, year, recipient, applicant body, amount awarded and stated objective, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50216/26]
View answer342. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number and value of projects funded under the Discover Programme since its inception that included citizen science, citizen generated data, environmental monitoring, software, data infrastructure or open source research infrastructure; the outcomes reported including numbers of participants engaged and cost per item recorded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50217/26]
View answer343. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether a funding instrument under his remit permits a citizen led open source research initiative to apply as lead applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50218/26]
View answer344. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether a citizen led open source research initiative may receive funding under his remit for direct research activity, research infrastructure, software development, data infrastructure, open source maintenance, field data collection, data validation or long term platform sustainability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50219/26]
View answer345. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department or Research Ireland has assessed the policy gap between funding public engagement about research and funding citizen science as research activity (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50220/26]
View answer346. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department or Research Ireland has ever formally evaluated OpenLitterMap, an Irish open source citizen science platform, or assessed its relevance to citizen science, open science, environmental monitoring, research infrastructure or digital public goods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50221/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 341, 342, 343, 344, 345 and 346 together.
The owner of the application referred to by the Deputy has been in correspondence with my Department, and has been referred to relevant funding sources, both for competitive research funding and potential enterprise supports.
Under the Research and Innovation Act 2024, Section 11, neither I nor my Department have any role concerning the assessment of any application, or the making of an award of funding, in any particular case or any direct role in evaluating research proposals. The publicly funded research bodies each have systems for evaluation in relation to different schemes of funding.
Criteria for individual funding calls is detailed on the Taighde Éireann - Research Ireland website. This process would be a peer reviewed evaluation in line with international best practice. Any application would need to meet the published criteria of a funding call, and provide the information required by the application in the approved format. It is therefore not possible to determine whether or not any application would be deemed eligible sight unseen, as funding calls each have specific parameters and requirements that would need to be met.
For the two questions where a large volume of data has been sought, this has been requested and will be provided to the Deputy in a follow up communication as soon as reasonably possible.
347. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he is concerned by the closure of more than 2,200 pubs since 2005 and the implications this may have for community life in rural areas. [49918/26]
View answer353. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will engage with the Department of Finance regarding targeted measures to support the sustainability of rural pubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50213/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 347 and 353 together.
I am aware of the recent figures from the Vintners Federation of Ireland, which highlight the challenges faced by rural pubs and their importance as hubs for social connection and cultural life.
I would also like to acknowledge that the Federation made a submission to the written consultation process which I opened last year to inform the development of the next iteration of Our Rural Future. This was part of an extensive public and stakeholder consultation process that took place throughout 2025 and gathered the views of well over 2,000 participants. All such submissions are feeding directly into the development of the policy.
While specific supports for the pub sector would fall under the remit of my colleagues, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, the Government’s Our Rural Future policy takes a whole-of-government approach to rural development, with actions to support the rural economy and rural communities.
The policy is underpinned by funding through my department's rural development investment programme and community development programme, as well as an array of funding streams across government.
Rural pubs can play an important role in rural communities in particular. For example, I am very conscious of the challenge of rural isolation, and with this in mind I have put in place a range of funding streams to help address this issue. These supports include the Seniors Alert Scheme, the Local Enhancement Programme, the Community Services Programme, and the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme.
In addition, there is no doubt that our significant investment in the Community Centre Investment Fund in recent years has helped to ensure that our rural areas have high quality facilities that can serve as focal points for communities.
Our Rural Future has taken a whole-of-government approach to supporting the revitalisation of our rural areas, by supporting local enterprises, enhancing digital connectivity and improving key services such as rural transport.
The development of the new Our Rural Future policy will continue to provide a framework for continued investment in our rural communities over the coming years to support rural enterprises and rural communities and to deliver on our shared ambition for rural Ireland.
As part of the development of the new iteration of Our Rural Future, I am continuing to engage with my ministerial colleagues to ensure that our ambition for rural Ireland is underpinned by a series of ambitious and practical actions.
348. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the current status of a project (details supplied) relating to the Cappahoosh bike path and walking trail; the progress made to date on the upgrade of the existing bike path and walking trail and the proposed replacement of two bridges; the timeline now envisaged for completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49955/26]
View answerThe Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) is funded under Our Rural Future. The scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways and blue ways throughout rural Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme in 2016, funding of almost €155 million has supported 2060 projects across the country.
Under Measure 3 of the 2020 scheme, funding of €500,000 was approved for the Connemara Trails and Eurovelo Route project. The proposed works included the upgrading of an existing 10km walking trail at Cappahoosh through Coillte lands, replacement of two bridges along the route of the Western Way walking trail, upgrade of an existing mountain bike trail at Derroura, Oughterard, and signage on the Eurovelo cycling route from the Mayo border at Leenane to the Clare border at Kinvara.
It was brought to the attention of my department that the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) had concerns regarding the works carried out within the Connemara Bogs Complex Special Area of Conservation in Booheeshal in Connemara, Co Galway. Based on the circumstances outlined and in accordance with the funding agreement, the applicant was advised to cease works on site pending investigation of the matter and further engagement with the NPWS . These discussions have now concluded.
With regard to the bridges, it was decided that a new section of trail and stream crossing could be created rather than replacing the steel footbridge at Tullyconnor. This solution was deemed to be more sustainable in the long term and more favourable from an environmental perspective.
The second steel footbridge at Derrybeg was found to be in reasonable condition and could be retained with minor maintenance. It was therefore agreed that the remaining funds would be redirected towards replacing a smaller wooden footbridge located approximately 200 metres further along the trail, which was no longer fit for purpose. This change of purpose was approved by my department.
I can confirm that the project has now been completed and the full amount of approved funding has been drawn down.
349. Deputy Ciarán Ahern asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he considers the existing suite of State supports for social enterprises including the Community Services Programme, SICAP and local enterprise office supports adequate to address persistent market failure across the sector, given that only 48.5% of social enterprise income is currently derived from trading activity and 56% of organisations report insufficient reserves to withstand a financial shock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49974/26]
View answerMany social enterprises choose to operate in areas of ‘deficient demand’, to deliver a good or service for a community where there is insufficient demand due to economic or social disadvantage or low population density, and this delivery is the social impact that marks them out as a social enterprise.
The 2023 Social Enterprise Baseline Data Collection Exercise found that 39.6% of social enterprises have a modest annual income below €100,000. Influenced by these findings, as well as the OECDs 2023 review on 'Boosting Social Entrepreneurship and Social Enterprise Development in Ireland', Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, was developed in partnership with the sector. Its key objectives are to help cultivate and sustain strong and impactful social enterprises that enrich the social, environmental, and economic well-being of people living in our communities.
A Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) has been set up to co-ordinate input into the delivery of Trading for Impact on a cross sectoral basis. In order to consider and advise on targeted developments to grow the sector, the following working groups have been established following approval from the SEG:
• Social Finance Working Group - to consider issues and identify potential solutions / options in relation to social finance gaps facing social enterprises, to help financial sustainability,
• Social Procurement Working Group - to support increased social and green procurement in Ireland, collect information, develop supports, consider issues and identify potential solutions and options in relation to social and green procurement, in line with the Policy, to help grow traded income,
• Building Awareness Working Group – to increase knowledge and awareness of social enterprises, their impact, and build demand for their goods and services.
In April of this year, I launched a Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) Sustaining Social Enterprise Scheme which supports established social enterprises to grow their traded income and become more financially self-sufficient over 23 months, in line with SEG feedback. Applications are currently at assessment stage. This funding will support projects such as the recruitment of key staff to drive income growth and sustainability and the development of a shared service resource enabling existing staff to focus on increased income generation.
Action 12 of Trading for Impact commits to deliver loan and grant funding schemes for social enterprises through new and existing programmes within my department including the Community Services Programme (CSP), the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and LEADER.
Through SICAP, social enterprises providing services to one or more of the named SICAP target groups, may avail of grants through SICAP’s programme implementers up to a maximum of €2,500 per annum, with a view to supporting social enterprises to establish and expand, employing those who are most marginalised, and so they can provide local services where other enterprises may not be able to.
My Department's Our Rural Future policy also recognises the role of social enterprises in providing appropriate spaces and services to rural areas, and influences funding across a range of schemes within my Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme, for example LEADER and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which can support suitable projects.
The CSP programme currently supports 453 services nationally on an ongoing basis via 434 community organisations to provide local social, economic, and environmental services through a social enterprise model with a budget of €59.4m in 2026. A recent call for new organisations to join the CSP programme closed on May 8th last. All applications received are currently going through an appraisal process.
Departments and agencies across government also play a part in supporting the sector including the Department of Social Protection supports, through the Job Initiative, TUS, Community Employment and Rural Social Scheme posts, which play an important part in supporting the sector, in line with the policy. Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) carry out enterprise development functions on behalf of Enterprise Ireland. The 31 LEOS are the first-stop shops for every business in the country, providing a signposting service for all Government supports available to the SME sector. Social Enterprises are eligible for LEO assistance provided they operate on a commercial basis and meet the eligibility criteria for the scheme for which they wish to apply
An updated Census of Social Enterprise is currently taking place which will, I hope, give additional data to my department and stakeholders to continue to develop meaningful supports that provide positive outcomes for social enterprises, to deepen their financial sustainability which will in turn help them deliver their social impact for as long as it is required.
350. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total allocation to and draw-down figures from the community centre investment fund over the past five budgets, in tabular form. [49990/26]
View answer351. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide the total allocation spent by the community centre investment fund on new community centres over the past five years, in tabular form. [49991/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 350 and 351 together.
The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) was introduced in 2022 to provide high quality community facilities that are available to all groups in both urban and rural communities. Through the CCIF, some €112 million has been approved for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres where such a need has been identified.
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to total allocation and drawdown figures under the Community Centre Investment Fund since its introduction in 2022 is contained in the attached table. This includes expenditure on the 12 new build community centres approved under the fund, of which 9 are now at construction stage. It also includes expenditure to-date in 2026. Given that this is a multi-annual fund, the level of expenditure varies each year depending on the timing of project approvals and timeframe for project delivery.
I was delighted to launch the latest round of funding under CCIF 2026 on the 26th March for enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres. The fund will be delivered across 2 categories with maximum funding levels of €25,000 and €100,000 respectively.
The online application process opened on May 29th? and the fund is open for applications until July 13th. I hope to announce all successful projects before the end of the year.
Full details on the scheme and available supports are available on my department's website.
352. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total funding provided under the community services programme, by local authority/local authority area, in each of the years 2020 to 2025, and to date in 2026, in tabular form. [50000/26]
View answerMy Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports 434 community-based organisations, to deliver 453 services through a social enterprise model, with a budget of €59.4m in 2026.
The information requested by the Deputy is attached. Further details of all funding allocations for the CSP Programme from 2018 to 2025 are available on [www.gov.ie]
354. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if there are plans to commission an independent assessment to examine whether current social enterprise funding programmes are structured appropriately, given that most recipients operate in areas of market failure rather than viable commercial markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50298/26]
View answerTrading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027 was designed to cultivate and sustain a strong and impactful social enterprise sector in Ireland that enriches the social, environmental, and economic wellbeing of our communities. It was developed following extensive consultation with the sector. This included a series of bi-lateral meetings with key stakeholders, a series of regional stakeholder engagement events, and a public consultation. Submissions made as part of this process are available on my department's website. Following the consultation process, a number of key priorities were identified, and they form the basis of the 57 Trading for Impact policy actions, under five key objectives.
Trading for Impact outlines a renewed commitment to help cultivate strong and impactful social enterprises through new and existing supports. Many of the actions contained in Trading for Impact seek to support social enterprises to increase their traded income and improve their resilience, thereby reducing their reliance on grant funding.
A Trading for Impact Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) has been set up to co-ordinate input into the delivery of Trading for Impact on a cross sectoral basis and working groups have been established to help delivery of the policy. The SEG and its working groups draw their membership from a broad base, reflecting the wide impact and areas of operation that social enterprises may operate in.
In April of this year, I launched a Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) Sustaining Social Enterprise Scheme which?supports established social enterprises to grow their traded income and become more financially self-sufficient over 23 months, in line with feedback received from the policy's SEG. Applications are currently at assessment stage. This funding will support projects such as the recruitment of key staff to drive income growth and sustainability and the development of a shared service resource to enabling existing staff to focus on increased income generation. An evaluation of the impact of this funding has been included in the delivery plan and will be considered in the context of future funding priorities.
My department also provides supports to social enterprises through ongoing programmes such as SICAP, where social enterprises providing services to one or more of the named SICAP target groups may avail of grants up to a maximum of €2,500 per annum. This is with a view to supporting social enterprises to establish and expand, employing those who are most marginalised, and so they can provide local services where other enterprises may not be able to, such as in areas of deficient demand.
The CSP programme currently supports 453 services nationally on an ongoing basis via 434 community organisations to provide local social, economic, and environmental services through a social enterprise model, with a budget of €59.4m in 2026. A recent call for new organisations to join the CSP programme closed on May 8th last. All applications received are currently going through an appraisal process, with results expected to be issued before the end of July.
My Department's Our Rural Future policy was developed following wide consultation, and also recognises the role of social enterprises in providing appropriate spaces and services to rural areas, and influences funding across a range of schemes within my Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme, for example LEADER and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which may support social enterprises.
Department of Social Protection supports, including through the Job Initiative, TUS, Community Employment Scheme or Rural Social Scheme posts also play an important part in supporting the sector, and this is acknowledged under the policy.
As the Deputy will appreciate, supports for social enterprises come from a wide range of departments and agencies and are influenced by the objectives of those bodies and are generally not directed solely at social enterprises. Trading for Impact was developed in partnership with sectoral stakeholders and the commissioning of an independent assessment to examine the structure of social enterprise funding programmes was not identified as a priority during that process. Delivery of Trading for Impact is now underway and my officials will consider this matter further, in consultation with stakeholders, in the development of future policy in this area.
