2024 Minutes

Minutes of Meeting of Sligo Local Community Development Committee Thursday 22nd February 2024 at 9.30a.m. (Council Chamber, City Hall & MS Teams)


Members Present

  • Councillor Tom Fox (Chamber), Local Government Member, Sligo County Council
  • Councillor Joe Queenan (Chamber), Local Government Member, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. Martin Lydon, (Chamber), Local Government/CE, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. Liam Kiely (Chamber), Local Government / LEO, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. Aidan Doyle (Chamber), Business Interests, Sligo Chamber of Commerce
  • Mr. John Kennedy (Online), State Agency, Dept. Of Employment Affairs & Social Protection
  • Mr. John Feerick (Online), Local Development Sector, Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG
  • Mr. Peter Egan (Online), State Agency, MSLETB
  • Mr. Pat Fallon (Online), Trade Union Interests, Irish Congress of Trade Unions
  • Ms. Kathleen Henry (Online), Farming / Agriculture Interests, Farming / Agriculture Pillar
  • Mr. Pat Benson (Online), Community & Voluntary, PPN

Apologies /Absent

  • Councillor Dara Mulvey, Local Government Member, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Cara O’Neill, State Agency, Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan HSE
  • Mr. Billy Gallagher, Community & Voluntary, PPN
  • Bernadette Maughan, Social Inclusion, PPN

In Attendance

  • Ms. Dorothy Clarke (Chamber), Chief Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Margaret McConnell (Chamber), Senior Executive Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Aisling Smyth (Chamber), Administrative Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Mary Boylan (Chamber), Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Tracy Ferguson (Chamber), Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Marcella McGarry (Chamber), Healthy Ireland Co-ordinator, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Geraldine Timlin (Chamber), Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Geraldine Healy (Chamber), Clerical Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. June Murphy (Online), Programme Manager (SICAP), County Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG

The Vice Chair Councillor Tom Fox welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted the apologies.

 

1. Declarations of Interest.

There were no Declarations of Interest.

 

2. Minutes of meeting 7th December 2023

Proposed by: Councillor T. Fox
Seconded by: Mr. L. Kiely

 

3. Matters Arising.

There were no matters arising.

 

4. SICAP

(a) SICAP 2023 Annual Performance review - for approval

(i) Reports submitted by Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG:

  • Lot Summary Report
  • 2023 Annual Progress Report

(ii) LCDC Checklist including Pobal’s Feedback & breakdown of Individuals Caseload by Target Group

(iii) Recommendation of the Social Inclusion & SICAP Monitoring Committee

(b) Update on SICAP 2024 to date

(c) Verifications/Site visits Q1; 2024

(d) Correspondence

(i) All relevant reports circulated to members in advance of the meeting.
Ms. Margaret McConnell advised Members that a meeting of the Social Inclusion & SICAP Monitoring Committee was held on 16th February to consider the 2023 Annual Performance review. SLPCLG uploaded reports to IRIS as required by the DRCD and Pobal, and LCDC support staff undertook a review of SICAP 2023 in January 2024.

(ii) Ms. McConnell provided an overview of the LCDC Checklist report with feedback from Pobal, which was positive.   LCDC support staff and SLPCLG staff were thanked for their work on SICAP by Ms. McConnell and Ms. Murphy.

(iii) Recommendation Report of the Social Inclusion & SICAP Monitoring Committee

Circulated to members in advance of the meeting and outlined by Ms. M. McConnell.

Approval of the 2023 Annual Performance Review:

Proposed by: Mr. Martin Lydon
Seconded by: Mr. Liam Kiely and agreed.

(b) Update on SICAP 2024 to date

Ms. J. Murphy confirmed that the 2024 Annual Plan would be uploaded to the new IRIS system by Friday 1st March 2024.  She provided an overview of activities from January to mid-February 2024 under Goal 1, Goal 2 and New Communities, including but not limited to the following:

  • Designing SICAP grants 2024, to be launched beginning of March 2024
  • Re-establishing Interagency group to support Initiatives in Northside, Caltragh and Ballytivnan
  • 3-day Intensive Job Seeking Skills Workshop for Ukrainians.
  • Collaborating with Sligo Sport and Recreation and the Road Safety Authority to deliver a cycling and road safety programme targeted at IPAS residents

(c) Verification Site visits for Q1 2024 were discussed as follows:

  • 10th March 2024 – SSRP and RSA Cycling Assessment Day for IPAS clients at the Mercy School
  • 12th March 2024 - Employers Day in collaboration with DSP and MLSETB, Clayton Hotel.

(d) Correspondence

Correspondence was outlined by Ms. M. McConnell and noted by members.

 

5. To note update on PPN

Report circulated to members in advance of the meeting.  Mr. P. Benson provided an overview of the report which included the following:

  • The PPN held their Secretariat planning meeting in early January; workplan for 2024 is now finalized
  • Supported Sligo Family Resource Centre and EU direct to host an event in the Glasshouse, on 20th February 2024, aimed at helping under represented communities to engage in community life
  • Sligo PPN recently held a nomination process for seats on Sligo LCDC and Sligo IEC. 2 nominations received for the IEC; no nominations received for the LCDC environment seat - this has now been extended for a further period of time
  • Sligo PPN are currently working with ATU on a Power to Change Initiative

 

6. To note update on the Sligo Healthy Ireland Programme Round 4

Report circulated to members in advance of the meeting.  Ms. M. McGarry provided an update on the following:

  • Output Area 1 – Physical Activity which will include; Stronger for Longer, Activator Poles, Playground Passport, Junior Park Run and Cycling Programmes.
  • Output Area 2 – Wellbeing and Mental Health which will include; Decider Training (which is full), Youth Mental Health Brief Intervention Project, the Caltragh area and a WRAP programme

Members were advised that the Playground Passport is accessed via a QR code with twenty nine playgrounds listed.

 

7. To endorse the final draft of the Sligo PEACEPLUS application as approved by the PEACEPLUS Partnership for submission to SEUPB by 28th March 2024

Report circulated to members in advance of meeting.  Ms. T. Ferguson provided an overview as follows:

  • Final draft of the Sligo PEACEPLUS Plan was approved and agreed at a meeting of the Sligo PEACEPLUS Partnership on 14th February 2024
  • Approved draft of the Plan circulated to members for review
  • Members advised of next steps as follows:
    • 28th March Closing date for submissions to SEUPB
    • Interim Drafting of project tender requests
      Continued communication with project stakeholders and communities to support participation.
    • 29th August Earliest possible date for return approval of Plan and Actions by SEUPB and subsequent project implementation.

Endorsement of LCDC members requested for the Draft Sligo PEACEPLUS Plan was requested:

Proposed by: Councillor J. Queenan,
Seconded by: Mr. M. Lydon

 

8. Approval of the allocation of funding under the Local Enhancement Programme

Report circulated to members in advance of the meeting.  Ms. A. Smyth provided an overview of the report to include:

  • Structure of the fund and allocation for Sligo LCDC as follows:
    • €118,327.18 for general small capital grants
    • €23,665.44 for Women’s Groups (to be distributed in a relatively equitable manner across all applicant groups)
  • It was noted that a total of 112 applications were received to the general capital grants element, with 19 applications received for the new ringfenced fund aimed specifically at Womens’ Groups
  • Members were advised that this was a 30% increase in applications in comparison to previous years.

Approval of funding allocation:

Proposed by: Councillor J. Queenan,
Seconded by: Councillor T. Fox

 

9. Correspondence

Correspondence was outlined by Ms. M. McConnell and noted by members.

  • Mr. P. Egan brought the attention of members to correspondence relating to the establishment of Sligo College of Further Education and Training, in Ballinode. North Connaught College, Tubbercurry will also come under this banner, and tertiary programmes are being developed in collaboration with ATU.

 

10. Date for next LCDC/LAG meeting –

Thursday 4th April 2024 – 9.30a.m.

 

11. Any Other Business

Ms. A. Smyth advised members that Sligo Comhairle na nÓg animated video, “Here for You”, received a LAMA award recently in the Best Mental Health Category.  Funded by the DRCD under the Dormant Accounts LGBTI+ grant, the aim of the video is to help young realise they are not alone.  Members were shown the video and asked to share as widely as possible.  All agencies and staff involved in producing the video were thanked for their work.

 

Meeting concluded at 10.20a.m.


Meeting Date 22/02/2024