Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 May 2026
155. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if funding can be made available for community cafés to ensure financial viability of essential social enterprises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38363/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity cafés are social enterprises that are a vital part of many communities. They offer training and employment opportunities, a place to volunteer and, in many cases, serve as a ‘hub’ in communities where it is not financially viable for a traditional business to provide this service.
Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, is committed to helping cultivate strong and impactful social enterprises, including community cafés. The policy contains 57 actions under 5 objectives, to provide a broad range of supports for social enterprises and the sector as a whole, including community cafés.
Action 12 of Trading for Impact commits to deliver loan and grant funding schemes for social enterprises through new and existing programmes including the Community Services Programme (CSP), the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and LEADER.
In addition to these supports, last month, I launched a €4m Dormant Accounts Funded Sustaining Social Enterprise Scheme 2026/27. This scheme was designed to help established social enterprises become more financially sustainable. While applications under the scheme closed on 15 May, this funding will help successful social enterprises, which may include a community café element, to grow and become more financially sustainable, so that they can continue to provide services in their communities and deliver their social, environmental or economic objectives from a strong base.
My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports 453 services nationally 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.
I am advised by Pobal which administers the Community Services Programme on behalf of my department, that 48 of the funded services include a café or coffee shop as an ancillary part of their services. The primary service is each case is either a multi-use community or leisure centre, a community enterprise hub, heritage/visitor centre, youth facility, community arts/cultural centre, community garden or Day Care facility. The café complements the other services provided and generates some revenue towards the running costs of the overall facility. A recent call for new organisations to join the CSP programme closed on May 8th last and applications are currently under review.
My Department's Our Rural Future policy also recognises the importance of functional community spaces that support a range of activities that bring added vibrancy 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 capital projects to develop community facilities.
Any social enterprise seeking advice and assistance, including community cafés, should contact their nearest Local Development Company (LDC). LDC staff are very familiar with social enterprises and well-informed on funding opportunities across a number of government departments.
