Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 January 2023
675. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total monetary amount of non-repayable moneys provided by her Department through grants, funding supports, tax breaks or other means to businesses in each of the years 2020, 2021 and 2022, in tabular form. [3388/23]
View answerGiven the level of information and details required here, it is not possible to provide the information in the time allotted. I propose replying directly to Deputy O'Reilly with the requested details.E
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51.
Funding to Support Rural and Community Development projects 2020, 2021 and 2022.
My Department provides funding for programmes to support rural and community development projects nationally, including for support to enterprises. Funding in each case is subject to compliance with programme terms and conditions. All funds are repayable should the terms and conditions of the programme/scheme not be adhered to.
Details of the programmes which support enterprise and the funding, allocated in each of the years, 2020, 2021 and 2022 are listed in the table below.
|
Programme |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
LEADER |
€19,993,390 |
€18,587,517 |
€17,900,424 |
|
Dormant Accounts Social Enterprise |
€1,989,357 |
€2,299,898 |
€2,300,000 |
|
Connected Hubs |
€0 |
€8,900,000 |
€5,100,000 |
|
Town and Village Renewal Scheme – Streetscape |
€0 |
€3,880,000 |
€2,600,000 |
|
Community Services Programme |
€43,300,000 |
€46,070,000 |
€45,440,000 |
Programme details –
- - LEADER
The LEADER programme is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. LEADER provides funding to enterprises through different themes and sub-themes including the sub-theme of enterprise development which supports the growth and development of businesses.
- Dormant Accounts - Social Enterprise
Social enterprises are businesses that work primarily to improve the lives of people. Their core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. Like other businesses, social enterprises pursue their objectives by trading in goods and services on an ongoing basis. However, surpluses generated by social enterprises are re-invested into achieving their core social objectives. Funding was provided to a number of schemes in each of the years to social enterprises in the form of capital grants, or to social enterprise networks/support organisations to provide training/mentoring to social enterprises.
- Connected Hubs
The Department’s Community Hubs Fund provided €14 million to almost 200 projects between 2021 and 2022. Successful projects are developed in collaboration with local authorities, community groups, social enterprises and some private hubs. All grants are repayable should the terms and conditions of the scheme not be adhered to.
- Town and Village Renewal Scheme – Streetscapes
This scheme provides grants via local authorities to retailers and property owners in order to improve the facades of their buildings, carry out artwork or install features such as street furniture or canopies. The overall purpose of the Measure is to give our towns and villages a facelift and make them more attractive places to live, work or visit. Under the 2021 Scheme €3.88m was paid to enhance 129 towns under the Measure. In 2022 another 26 towns and villages that will benefit from a €2.6 million fund were announced. The selected towns and villages are receiving funding of up to €100,000.
- Community Services Programme
The Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports 420 community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model, providing a contribution towards the cost of staff in CSP organisations.
In addition, some of my Department’s programmes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) provide funding to state funded bodies, for example, local authorities, to support the development and delivery of projects, which regenerate towns and villages in rural Ireland. The type of projects delivered under the RRDF and TVRS include digital and food hubs, enterprise centres and tourism related projects which will benefit and support businesses.
