Galway County is to receive €1,649,629 in funding for disadvantaged groups under the 2020 Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP).
I am delighted with this allocation. SICAP, which is co-funded by the European Social Fund, supports unemployed people, those living in deprived areas, people with disabilities, single parent families, people on low incomes, members of the Traveller and Roma communities and other disadvantaged groups.
Supports offered include lifelong learning courses, business start-ups, financial support for community groups and social enterprises.
Since 2018, SICAP has supported 43,000 people, more than 16,000 lifelong learning courses and more than 4,000 business start-ups leading to the creation of 2,168 jobs.
The SICAP programme makes a real difference to communities, especially those that are marginalised and suffering disadvantage.
I want to thank my ministerial colleague, Minister Micheal Ring TD, for his continued support for the programme.
Galway County’s allocation for 2020 represents a nearly €50,000 increase on 2019. Galway City will receive €668,942 in 2020, an increase of nearly €40,000 on 2019.