Ó An Roinn Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail
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Michael Ring TD, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, has today (Thursday) announced that, following a public procurement process, Indecon Consultants have been appointed to carry out an independent review of the Community Services Programme (CSP).
The CSP supports community-based organisations delivering vital services through a social enterprise model. It provides a contribution towards the cost of employing staff in CSP supported organisations. Some €46 million will be made available under the Programme in 2019.
Announcing the appointment Minister Ring said:
“Following a public procurement process my Department has appointed Indecon Consultants as the independent review body. I am delighted to see the review commence as I want to ensure that the programme fits with overall Government priorities as well as my Department’s other community programmes and policy objectives.”
The review will take approximately six months and will inform decisions on the future shape and structure of the programme.
The Minister added:
“When the responsibility for the CSP transferred to my Department in January 2018, my immediate priority was to ensure its smooth transfer and maintain continuity of service for funded organisations. I look forward to receiving the review report and to ensuring that the CSP provides the best possible support for communities throughout Ireland.”
A review of the programme is opportune given the emerging policies for local development, community development and social enterprise, and also that no formal review has been carried out since the programme was introduced in 2006. The review will ensure the programme is more closely aligned with current Department and Government policy and is better placed to meet community needs.
In concluding, the Minister thanked the organisations supported under the Programme:
“The CSP supported organisations are carrying out invaluable work in their local communities and I must commend the staff and Boards of these organisations.”
ENDS
The CSP currently supports 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.
It typically supports organisations to meet local service gaps and provide access to services and facilities that would otherwise generally be unavailable. Eligible organisations are supported under three strands:
Strand 1 – Community Halls and Facilities
Strand 2 – Community Services for Disadvantaged Communities
Strand 3 – Community Organisations Employing People Distant from the Labour Market.
Funding is provided to community organisations as a fixed contribution towards the cost of employing a manager and/or an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions (FTEs). The CSP provides €19,033 per FTE and €32,000 per manager. More than €46m is allocated to the programme for 2019, supporting approx. 1,650 FTEs and 300 manager positions.
The CSP contribution is not aligned with the minimum wage and CSP supported organisations are expected to contribute to the cost of the funded positions. An additional €1m was announced in January 2019 to help CSP supported organisations who were struggling to meet the minimum wage.
The review will examine, amongst other things:
And consider: