2025 Minutes

Minutes of Meeting of Sligo Local Community Development Committee Thursday 29th May 2025 at 9.30a.m. in the Council Chamber, City Hall


Members Present

  • Cllr. Donal Gilroy (Chamber), Local Government, Sligo County Council
  • Cllr. Ann Higgins(Chamber), Local Government, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. Martin Lydon (Chamber), Local Government/CE, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. Liam Kiely (Chamber), Local Government / LEO, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. Peter Egan (Online), State Agency, MSLETB
  • Mr. John Feerick (Online), Local Development Sector, Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG
  • Mr. Aidan Doyle (Chamber), Business Interests, Sligo Chamber of Commerce
  • Ms. Kathleen Henry (Online), Farming / Agriculture Interests, Farming / Agriculture Pillar
  • Mr. Amro Hamid (Chamber), Environment, PPN
  • Mr. Billy Gallagher (Online), Community & Voluntary, PPN
  • Mr. Pat Benson (Chamber), Community & Voluntary, PPN

Apologies /Absent

  • Cllr. Fergal Nealon, Local Government, Sligo County Council
  • Mr. John Kennedy, State Agency, Dept. of Social Protection
  • Ms. Cara O’Neill, State Agency, Sligo/Leitrim/West Cavan HSE
  • Mr. Pat Fallon, Trade Union Interests, Irish Congress of Trade Unions
  • Ms. Bernadette Maughan, Social Inclusion, PPN
  • Ms. Noelle O’Gara, Social Inclusion, PPN
  • Mr. Brían Flynn, Chief Officer, Sligo County Council

In Attendance

  • Ms. Margaret McConnell (Chamber), Senior Executive Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Aisling Smyth (Chamber), Administration Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Mary Boylan (Chamber), Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Mary Frances Doherty (Chamber), Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Kate Gibbons (Chamber), Senior Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Marcella McGarry (Chamber), Healthy Sligo Co-ordinator, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. Geraldine Timlin (Chamber), Staff Officer, Sligo County Council
  • Ms. June Murphy (Chamber), Programme Manager (SICAP), County Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG

 

Cllr. Donal Gilroy, Chairperson welcomed everyone to the meeting and noted apologies.

 

1. Declarations of Interest

There were no Declarations of Interest.

 

2. Minutes of meeting 29th May 2025

Proposed by: Mr. Pat Benson.
Seconded by: Mr. Martin Lydon and agreed.

 

3. Matters Arising

There were no Matters Arising.

 

4. SICAP

a) SICAP 2025 Mid – Year review – for approval by LCDC

Reports circulated to members in advance of the meeting as follows:

1.Lot Cost Charged / Financial Report, Monitoring Report, Individual Target Group Report, Action Progress Report (submitted by Sligo LEADER Partnership CLG)

2. LCDC Checklist including Pobal Review

3. Recommendation of Social Inclusion & SICAP Monitoring Subcommittee

Ms. Kate Gibbons advised Members that a meeting of the Social Inclusion & SICAP Monitoring Committee was held on 3rd July to consider the 2025 Mid-Year review.

SLP CLG uploaded the following reports to the IRIS monitoring system: Lot Cost Charged / Financial Report, Monitoring Report, Individual Target Group Report, Action Progress Report, as required by the DRCD and Pobal, and LCDC support staff undertook the Mid-Year review.

The LCDC Checklist Report also included the feedback from Pobal, which was circulated to members in advance of the meeting. It was noted that SLP CLG had achieved 36% of the target for Goal 1 and 65% target for Goal 2 and are on track to meet all targets for 2025. Feedback from Pobal was positive following their Mid-Year Review.

Discussion

In response to a query from Cllr. A. Higgins regarding the necessity for an annual audit of SICAP by the Local Authority, Ms. M. McConnell confirmed that clarity was being sought from Pobal around audit requirements for 2024 – 2028 SICAP.

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 2025 Mid-Year Review:

Proposed by: Cllr. Ann Higgins
Seconded by: Mr. Liam Kiely and agreed.

 

b) Update on SICAP 2025 to date

Report circulated to members in advance of the meeting.

Ms. J. Murphy provided a brief overview on targets achieved at the end of June 2025 including the target for supporting individuals in disadvantaged communities, which has been overachieved and is now at 28%.

Under Goal 1, work is ongoing under Building Stronger Communities, Empowering Communities through Targeted Community Engagement, Community Networking, Social Enterprise and Community Integration. Current target – 36% achieved.

Under Goal 2, work continues on Health & Wellbeing, Lifelong Learning, Children & Families, Employment Supports and Individual & Family Support for New Arrivals. Current target – 65%.

SICAP Small Grants launched under 4 themes as follows:

  • Local community groups involved in Social Inclusion activities
  • Men & Women Sheds
  • Social Enterprise Grant Scheme
  • Community Integration Grants

All grants to be assessed week of 9th July and groups notified.

 

c) Verifications/Site visits Q3; 2025

Members were advised of site visits and encouraged to attend:

  • Ukrainian Independence Day – Sunday 24th August 2025
  • Community & Voluntary Governance Training during September 2025.

Ms. Murphy to confirm dates / locations with members.

 

5. LGAS Audit of 2023 SICAP

Report circulated to members in advance of the meeting. Ms. M. McConnell provided a brief overview of the situation to date regarding audit findings regarding the SLPC intercompany loan, and action taken on the advice of the LGAS Auditor to exclude from SICAP eligible expenditure. After the successful appeal by Sligo LEADER Partnership of audit findings, and additional meetings held with DRCDG, in June 2025, the DRCDG advised that Sligo LCDC had discretion in the matter.

It was noted that the loan charges were commenced under different programme rules, and in the interests of continued relationship development, the LCDC decided to reinstate the relevant loan charges to the SICAP programme.

Proposed by: Mr. M. Lydon
Seconded by: Cllr. A. Higgins and agreed.

 

6. To note update on PPN

Mr. P. Benson directed members to report circulated in advance of the meeting and also advised that members look at the PPN bi-annual report of activities, recently published.

He also referred to the following:

  • SICAP Site Verification Visit to the Music & Art Therapy programme, Tubbercurry, which was a very worthwhile event.
  • Integration Day in the Riverside Hotel – Mr. Benson noted that this was also a very worthwhile event highlighting the help and support provided to New Communities / IPAS clients in Sligo.
  • SICAP statistics in terms of Goals 1 & 2 and People living in Disadvantaged Communities. Ms. J. Murphy confirmed that statistics could be broken down by DED, which Mr. Benson noted would be of benefit to the HSE and other stakeholders for comparative purposes.

 

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

Report circulated to members in advance of the meeting. Programme update as follows:

  • Physical Activity – work on projects is ongoing. Ms. M. McGarry drew members attention to the project in Caltragh in conjunction with Sligo Cycling Club. This programme will support young people to learn the basics of cycling / safety measures and will be conducted with small groups within the community.
  • Mental Health – Play Therapy and Brief Intervention to Youth Mental Health. Members were advised that discussion on the commencement of the Brief Intervention for Young People is ongoing with further discussion required by the Healthy Ireland Sub Committee.

Discussion

  • Ms. M. McGarry to provide Ms. J. Murphy with access to the National Health Atlas, which may be of benefit to SLP CLG, in terms of the Food Poverty Mapping exercise currently being explored, under SICAP Goal 1.2 Empowering Communities through targeted community engagement.
  • Ms. M. McConnell advised that correspondence had been received from the Department of Health advising of an extension of the programme to end of 2026 and arrangements in this regard are being prepared in accordance with Department and Pobal requirements.

 

8. To note update on the Sligo PEACEPLUS Plan

Report circulated to members in advance of meeting. Ms. Mary Frances Doherty advised members as follows:

  • Work on commencement of project implementation is ongoing as per PEACEPLUS report, circulated to members.
  • Tendering of projects is ongoing under themes – Thriving and Peaceful Communities (8 capacity building projects to build positive relations), Building Respect for all Cultural Identities (3 projects to reimage communities).
  • PEACEPLUS subcommittee and the first meeting of the Steering Group to take place on 16th July 2025.

 

9. Correspondence

Correspondence circulated in advance of the meeting was outlined by M McConnell and noted as read by members in advance.

 

9. Date for next LCDC/LAG meeting

Wednesday 3rd September 2025 – 9.30a.m., Council Chamber, County Hall, Riverside.

 

10. Any Other Business

Meeting concluded 10.20a.m.


Meeting Date 29/05/2025