Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 22 March 2023
288. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of meals on wheels services that were excluded from any measures introduced by this Government to meet the exceptional growth in the cost of electricity overheads. [14319/23]
View answerThe Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme (CVESS), administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department, is providing once-off support to incorporated organisations and registered charities within the community and voluntary sector which fall outside the parameters of other energy support schemes being delivered by Government.
While Phase One of the CVESS closed on 2nd December, Phase two is now open with a streamlined application process. The closing date for the scheme is Friday, 24th March 2023. Further details are available on Pobal’s website.
I am pleased to have announced the first three tranches of successful applicants under Phase One, awarding over €705k to 552 organisations across the country. Payments have been issued directly into successful applicants' bank accounts, and a full list of recipients is available on Gov.ie. Further announcements of successful applicants will follow.
Applicant organisations are not required to specify service or programmes delivered in order to qualify for funding. Meals on Wheels services are not excluded from consideration and are eligible to apply for CVESS subject to meeting published criteria.
I can confirm that my Department has worked with the Department of Health to ensure that C&V organisations that are partly funded by the HSE/Department of Health under Section 39 (as some meals on wheels services may be) will receive the same levels of support towards energy costs as non-Section 39 organisations. Any relevant Section 39 organisation is now able to seek additional funding from the CVESS to meet any shortfall in the top-up funding they receive from the HSE or Department of Health, up to the level that is approved for other community and voluntary organisations, under the CVESS. Such organisations should apply in the normal manner.
A further support for community groups under my Department is the Community Support Fund. This fund, with funding of €10 million was launched on 18th November last. This is a new fund, under the Community Enhancement Programme, and is designed to assist community groups across the country, in light of the current rising energy costs.
The fund will deliver grants to help groups with rising energy and operational costs such as electricity bills and insurance costs. Groups can also use the funding to carry out small upgrade or refurbishment works and for the purchase of equipment which supports their activities such as laptops and printers, training equipment, tables, chairs etc.
The Community Support Fund is being administered locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) on behalf of my Department, with support from their Local Authority. Groups should contact their local LCDC for further details on the application process. Local authorities will be closing this fund on or before 31st March 2023.
My Department will continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including the community and voluntary sector, charities, local authorities and local development companies, to support community organisations across the country as they deal with the ongoing and emerging challenges. These Schemes are part of a range of supports introduced through Budget ’23 and everyone is encouraged to visit gov.ie/reduceyouruse to find out how they can make energy savings, where safe and possible to do so.
