Our History

History of CSP

The CSP supports community-based organisations to deliver social, economic and environmental services that tackle disadvantage areas. It is focused on areas where the provision of services by the public and private sectors is low or lacking due to such areas being geographically or socially isolated or having a level of demand that is not sufficient for the provision of such services.

The CSP involves a co-funding model, with State support used to make a contribution towards the cost of employing a manager and/or a specified number of positions, with the community-based organisation expected to generate income to meet the other costs associated with the delivery of services. This model has the potential to leverage public funds and to achieve value for money for scarce Exchequer resources. However, this presents challenges for a cohort of community organisations providing services to marginalised groups where they do not have options to generate significant trading income.

Background Context the CSP has emerged from the former Social Economy Programme. Following transfer of responsibility for this programme from the (former) Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the (former) Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs in January 2006, the emphasis of the programme shifted from being a labour market activation/training initiative to an approach focused more on enabling community-based organisations to meet service gaps and provide essential services that would not otherwise be available in local communities. Reflecting this change in emphasis, the name of the programme was changed to the Community Services Programme. In mid-2010, during the economic downturn, the CSP was transferred from the then Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs to the former Department of Social Protection, where the focus became, once again, activation, as that Department had responsibility for functions relating to employment and community services, at that time.

The consolidation into a new Department of both policy and direct supports in respect of community and rural development provided the means for a greater focus on creating vibrant and sustainable communities and, in line with that aim, the Community Services Programme was transferred to the new Department of Rural and Community Development (DRCD) from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (DEASP) on 1 January 2018. Since the CSP was designed, there have been major economic and social changes in Ireland. In recent years there has been a decline in the consistent poverty rate in both urban and rural areas and the lowest income deciles saw the largest increases in incomes.

However, many households remain in consistent poverty. There has also been an increase in urbanisation and a decline in the percentage of the population in rural areas. Long-term unemployment peaked in 2012 and the overall levels of unemployment and the proportion of longterm unemployed have has fallen significantly. High levels of unemployment, however, remain in some communities and among those with educational or social disadvantages.