Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (DRCDG), with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer TD, has announced the launch of the Community Services Programme 2024 Annual Report. This report highlights the significant achievements and progress made under the Programme during 2024, highlighting its impact on communities across the country.
The report includes a number of case studies on CSP supported organisations, showcasing their contributions to their communities. Through these diverse examples, the report captures the positive effect that CSP funding creates; supporting people, strengthening communities and building local resilience.
The Community Services Programme (CSP) aims to support local community organisations to deliver vital services by creating employment opportunities for specific disadvantaged individuals and to provide a diverse range of local services to disadvantaged communities and target groups, through a social enterprise model.
The Programme focuses on communities where public and private sector services are lacking, either through geographical or social isolation or because of demand deficits. The CSP Programme provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each manager and/or full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported.
The strategic objectives of the CSP Programme are:
- To address community needs through supporting services and community assets, ensuring they are inclusive and responsive to the disadvantaged or marginalised;
- To provide employment opportunities and improve the employability of individuals most distant from the labour market; and
- To strengthen and support community organisations operating as social enterprises to deliver improved facilities and services.
In 2024, the CSP Programme supported 451 services through 431 organisations through 1,727 FTE positions and 352 manager positions.
Across these organisations;
- 3,302 individuals were employed in CSP roles.
- 64% of CSP-supported employees were in part-time employment compared to 36% in full-time.
Key highlights from the report include:
- Increased Employment opportunities: A CSP funding call for new applicants to the Programme was announced in 2023. Following on from this call, 14 new organisations were welcomed on to the Programme, commencing in January 2024 with 13 managers and 23 FTE positions being supported.
- Funding for Additional Resources: Following an application process in September 2023, 32 existing CSP-supported organisations were allocated additional staff resources from June 2024. The 42 new CSP-supported positions consisted of 35 FTE and seven manager positions.
- Increased Funding Rates: To ensure the continued sustainability of CSP-supported organisations, the rates of funding awarded to CSP FTE and manager positions, across both the high and medium funding categories, were increased from January 2024.
Future of CSP Programme
An allocation of €55.4m was made available in Budget 2025 to support the CSP Programme for 2025, an increase of €3m from 2024. A further increase of €4m has been announced for 2026, bringing the total programme allocation to €59.4m for 2026.
Under the 2025 Programme for Government, a commitment was made to open the Community Services Programme for new applications annually. The scope to hold an open call for the CSP Programme is currently being reviewed, in the context of the 2026 Budget announcement, having regard to the funding needs of existing organisations and those who wish to join the programme.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Buttimer said:
“This report reflects the impact the Community Services Programme has on communities the length and breadth of the country. It highlights the real and lasting difference the CSP Programme makes by providing services and employment locally, which in turn contributes to building sustainable, inclusive and empowered communities.”
Anna Shakespeare, Pobal CEO, commented:
“The Community Services Programme enables the continuation and growth of important and valuable services provided by community organisations and social enterprises nationwide. CSP supported services are diverse in the range of activities they provide, the sectors in which they operate, and the communities or groups they support. The success of the programme and recent redesigns to ensure it is responsive and reflective of social and economic factors, particularly area level deprivation is evident in the 2024 Annual Report. Pobal is proud to administer the Community Services Programme on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community and Development and to work alongside the 431 funded organisations, who support the most vulnerable in our local communities by providing essential services, community spaces, employment and training opportunities.”
The Minister concluded:
“Despite the many social and economic challenges experienced in 2024 as highlighted in the Annual Report, CSP-supported organisations have continued to play an essential role in strengthening the communities they serve, providing vital services and safe welcoming spaces to ensure people and communities around the country receive the supports they need.”