Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
1145. Deputy Marie Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the State agencies within his Department that have made provision for the pension auto enrolment payment as part of their allocation to funded organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14415/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe community and voluntary sector is quite diverse and receives financial support through a wide range of funding programmes and schemes from Government departments and agencies, including from the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. I set out hereunder the approach being taken to support employment costs in respect of programmes funded via agencies of this Department.
My Department’s Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention. The current SICAP Programme, which is administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department, runs from 1st of January 2024 until the end of 2028. An increase in core funding of €1.5m has been secured for the programme in 2026, in line with the Programme for Government’s commitments to incrementally increase funding for SICAP, bringing the annual funding in 2026 to over €50m.
As part of funding arrangements for SICAP, Programme Implementers are permitted to use up to 25% of their overall annual allocation to cover administration costs associated with delivering the programme, including staff salary and pension costs. As core funding for the programme will be increasing, a commensurate increase in the 25% portion allowable for administrative costs will assist SICAP programme implementers in meeting their obligations under the pension auto-enrolment scheme.
The Community Services Programme (CSP), also administered by Pobal, currently supports 426 community-based organisations, with a budget of €59.4m allocated for 2026, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. The CSP contribution is not aligned to the minimum wage and is not intended to meet the full employment cost of supported posts. The contribution must be co-funded by other sources, for example, from income received from the public for the use of their facilities and services.
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. Notwithstanding this, increased funding has been provided over the past three years to most CSP-funded organisations to mitigate the impact of increases in the costs of employment. On 17th of December last, along with my colleague, Minister Dara Calleary, I announced increased funding rates for CSP funded organisations in 2026.
The New Solutions Social Innovation Fund, which is co-funded through the European Social Fund+ 2021-2027 (ESF+), is aimed at reducing the risk of poverty and social exclusion, with an emphasis on disadvantaged groups. Under the initiative, salary and pension costs for employees are allowable costs, subject to evidenced invoice payments.
Údarás na Gaeltachta has a comprehensive strategic development approach to managing the increased demand for funding from Gaeltacht community development organisations, with a 59% increase in direct funding provided to these organisations over the past five years. The distribution of funding is based on annual work plans prepared by the community development organisations. The Community Development Unit within an tÚdarás in collaboration with the relevant officers and Regional Managers, carries out a comprehensive assessment of the applications to address the needs of the organisation.
My Department also provides current funding to numerous Gaeltacht and Irish Language organisations to administer particular schemes or carry out agreed work programmes. Where these funding arrangements provide for specific employment, grantees agree to comply with all relevant employment law and practices. My department will be taking costs relating to the pension auto-enrolment scheme into account in any new grant agreements going forward and is actively incorporating them into current schemes.
