Minister of State Jerry Buttimer hosts Stakeholder Consultation on the development of a new strategy to support the community and voluntary sector
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From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
- Published on: 23 July 2025
- Last updated on: 23 July 2025
Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer, today (Wednesday, 23 July 2025) hosted a stakeholder consultation event in Tullamore for organisations across the community and voluntary sector to contribute to the development of a new strategy to support the sector.
The event follows the announcement earlier this month by Minister Buttimer of a public consultation on the development of a new whole-of-government strategy as a successor to the current strategy: Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: A five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019-2024, which was extended into 2025.
The new strategy will look to build upon the structures, achievements and objectives of ‘Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities’ for the upcoming period 2026 – 2030.
The stakeholder consultation event was attended by 100 representatives of local and community development organisations, as well as representatives of Public Participation Networks and local authorities.
Opening the consultation event, Minister Buttimer said:
"As Minister with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities, it is my privilege to lead on the development of a successor strategy that will take us to the period of 2030. It will build up upon the existing structures, strategic objectives and achievements of the previous strategy, while taking account of new contexts, challenges and priorities for the community and voluntary sector.
"The process of developing the new strategy will be rooted in the agreed set of values and principles for collaboration and partnership working with the community and voluntary sector at national and local level. These provide a foundation for all consultation, collaboration and partnership working between the community and voluntary sector and central and local government.
“The new strategy will further strengthen engagement and the relationship and partnership between Government and the community and voluntary sector, which has significantly developed over the last number of years.”
The event was also addressed by Mary Hurley, Secretary General of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, who acknowledged the vital role played by the sector in Ireland and highlighted the many achievements of the previous strategy, which were delivered in partnership with the community and voluntary sector.
The development of the new strategy will be led by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, in collaboration with the Cross-Sectoral Group on local and community development. The department will engage with national and local government and key stakeholders from the community and voluntary sector.
The new strategy will set out clear objectives, and specific actions to be implemented in a collaborative manner.
Notes
Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities: A five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019-2024
The five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland set out a long-term vision for our communities in Ireland. It set a general direction of travel for government policy in relation to the community development, local development and the community and voluntary sectors for the coming decade. The Strategy was co-produced by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Central and Local Government colleagues, and the community and voluntary sectors. The current strategy is available for viewing on gov.ie.