Community and Voluntary sector

Community development workers and volunteers have been thanked for their "vital" work and their "staggering" output amidst unprecedented challenges.

From next January, each PPN will receive over €100,000 in core funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development - more than double the original allocation of €50,000 each in 2015 and an increase of almost 20% on 2024.

Irish social finance organisation Clann Credo has provided over €215 million in finance to community and voluntary groups, sports clubs, climate action initiatives, social enterprises as well as social housing in Ireland since 1996.

There was a mixed response from the community and voluntary sector to the launch of Budget 2025 this week. Some measures have been welcomed as a step in the right direction, but many organisations expressed the view that it didn’t go far enough to help those who need it most.

32 organisations are set to benefit from fresh investment in the programme, which aims to tackle disadvantage through a social enterprise model.  

A survey undertaken by the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has highlighted how contractual clauses restrict certain groups within the community and voluntary sector from advocacy and speaking out on behalf of their communities.

A total of €3.5 million in government funding has been granted to help maintain the existing level of drugs and inclusion health services provided by community and voluntary organisations.

A new bursary fund of €200,000 was launched today to support community workers seeking to pursue endorsed postgraduate community work qualifications.