Government’s Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme 2024 Annual Report and New Arrivals Research

Mayo PPN
Latest News

On Monday 15th September 2025 Tánaiste Simon Harris joined Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Jerry Buttimer T.D., to launch the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2024 Annual Report at the Little Flower Hall in Bray, County Wicklow.

SICAP works with individuals and groups, strengthening communities and improving the quality of life of those facing social exclusion and inequality.

SICAP 2024 – 2028, the third iteration of the programme commenced on January 1st 2024. The SICAP 2024 Annual Report highlights the impact of the new programme which has a renewed focus on targeting those who are most disadvantaged in Irish society.

To support this, resources are targeted locally based on local needs and local knowledge. By the end of 2024, all key performance indicators (KPIs) for the programme were exceeded.

Some of the key findings include;

  • 2,368 Local Community Groups were supported in 2024
  • 1995 individuals, 6% of the overall caseload, progressed into employment in 2024
  • 260 Community activists or community groups were supported in 2024
  • 473 Social Enterprises were supported by SICAP in 2024.
  • 32,490 individuals were supported in 2024
  • 53,133 Children & parents were supported in 2024.
  • 96,520 non-caseload individuals attended events sponsored by SICAP

Three research documents on supports for people newly arrived in the country including Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection, International Protection Applicants/asylum seekers and refugees since 2022 were also launched. The reports highlight challenges and good practice in delivering supports to new arrivals.

The key findings include:

  • In 2022 and 2023 (combined), New Arrivals made up 30% of the overall individual SICAP caseload, at 16,404 people. In 2021, the equivalent proportion was 5%.
  • The primary driver of the increase in supports to New Arrivals was the high proportion of Ukrainians supported. In total, 72%, of the New Arrivals group was made up of Ukrainians.
  • The remaining 28% was comprised of 21% asylum seekers and 7% refugees.
  • Only 3% of New Arrivals supported in 2022-2023 received support prior to 2022.

The Reports for this event are published here

Photo credit: Resources – Pobal