Disadvantaged areas in Kerry set to benefit from €1.6m in funds

THE Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme is to provide €1,629,599 in funding for deprived and marginalised communities in Kerry over the next five years.

On Friday Minister for Rural and Community Development Michael Ring announced details of the second round of funding under the scheme which is aimed at tackling disadvantage in Ireland.

Funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and administered by Pobal, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), it will provide €190 million over five years – from 2018 to 2022 – to support the most disadvantaged individuals and communities in Ireland.

As part of this allocation, €39 million was made available across all counties to deliver SICAP in 2018, with €1,629,599 being allocated to Kerry.

The programme, which is administered by Pobal, will be overseen at a local level by Kerry County Council’s 19-member Local Community Development Committee which was established in 2014.

The latest round of social inclusion and community funding follows on from a previous investment of €4.8million for various social inclusion projects throughout Kerry that was provided between 2015 and 2017.

Funding agreements with North East and West Kerry Development; South Kerry Development Partnership; and IRD Duhallow were signed in January.