Report 2015 Contents

ANNUAL REPORT 2015 CONTENTS ONE TWO Chairperson’s Statement 04 Corporate Governance 30 CEO’s Statement 06 Board of Pobal 32 About Pobal 08 Committees of the Board 36 Our Funders 12 The Executive Management Team 38 Other Partnerships 24 Impact Story Two: Employment Activation 40 Impact Story One: Social Inclusion and Equality 26 © Pobal 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of Pobal. CONTENTS THREE FOUR Profile of Directorates: 44 Company Information 66 Programmes Directorate 44 Directors’ Responsibilities Statement 73 Community Supports Statement on and Services Directorate 46 Internal Financial Control 74 Corporate Services Directorate 50 Annual Financial Statements Year Ended 31st December 2015 80 Finance Operations Directorate 56 Impact Story Three: Early Years and Young People 62 SECTION ONE Pobal Annual Report 2015 ONE CHAIRPERSON’S STATEMENT Each year Pobal’s annual report With further emphasis now being placed on community reflects the work which we carry development and civic engagement as a key element of Government policy, demand for Pobal’s expertise out in conjunction with our partners. in developing and delivering programmes remained Work which seeks to improve the life extremely strong in 2015. opportunities for people experiencing During this period, there was an increase in the amount of grant funding which Pobal administered on behalf disadvantage and social exclusion. of Government Departments and EU Bodies. In total, It is an opportunity to consider €345 million was distributed spanning 26 individual programmes. some of the key milestones and I believe that this growth in output represents an achievements of the year and endorsement of the expertise Pobal has developed acknowledge those who have in delivering high quality programmes which achieve tangible results for individuals and communities. I feel contributed to the company’s work. that Pobal’s knowledge and capability in this sector is now highly valued. We are recognised as possessing the competence to assesses, evaluate and implement programmes in a timely manner which also ensure value for money from a public perspective. Considerable pride can be taken from the achievements in 2015. For instance, to cite just a few examples, 15,700 people were supported into employment, a further 4,689 individuals were helped to start their own businesses while 4,345 early years services were assisted. However, it is behind the numbers through my personal interaction with individuals and visiting some of the communities impacted by Pobal programmes that you get a true sense of the benefit which we are having. It is heartening to see how the efforts of the company and our stakeholders are enhancing prospects and providing real opportunities for people in every county in Ireland. 04 Pobal Annual Report 2015 ONE It is here that the work primarily aimed at combating In many aspects, 2015 was an exciting year for Pobal. disadvantage is done and continues on an ongoing basis. Following a challenging period when economic indicators were less optimistic, Pobal’s activity and staff I believe it is worth mentioning some of those who have complement grew in 2015. In order to oversee this contributed to this process. process, a strong and capable management team are None of the local groups and partnerships with which required. I feel that CEO Denis Leamy and the executive Pobal engages could operate without their staff, management team have displayed robust leadership volunteers and board members. Many of whom give and dedication to the task at hand. I also wish to express freely of their time to ensure the effective and efficient my gratitude to each and every member of the staff of running of these organisation. On the ground, thousands Pobal for commitment shown throughout the year. of people are contributing to their communities and In conclusion, as the importance of strong and vibrant making a huge difference. These people deserve communities continue to be recognised in the context of immense credit, the unseen work they do reaps huge Ireland’s improving economic fortunes, I believe that the benefit for their communities. role of Pobal is now be significant than ever. We have the I would also like to acknowledge the support that Pobal skills and the determination to ensure communities right receives from the Department of the Environment, across the State can share in the recovery and become Community and Local Government, the Department of vibrant, thriving communities for all who live in them. Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Social Protection and all other Government Departments and Agencies. Building on Pobal’s tradition of volunteerism, I would like to place on record my appreciation to the board of Seamus Boland Pobal both new and retiring. Each member, gives freely Chairperson, Pobal of their time for no monetary compensation. The board members’ dedication to community development has been strongly in evidence in the last 12 months. 05 Pobal Annual Report 2015 ONE CEO’S STATEMENT Working to create vibrant, sustainable Working on behalf of Government departments and communities and enabling individuals in partnership with local groups across the country, we successfully supported thousands of communities, to develop their full potential creating employment, assisting projects of civic benefit remained at the forefront of Pobal’s and providing sustainable childcare services for thousands of families. work during 2015. In addition to this, Pobal has continued in its role of identifying crucial information and outcomes from our As Ireland changes as a society, with work which contributes to Government reviews and a renewed emphasis on engendering facilitates better planning for future initiatives. community development and a more I would like to briefly refer to some of the highlights of 2015 inclusive society, I am proud to report which give an impression of the things accomplished. that in 2015, Pobal had an extremely Tackling poverty and social exclusion strong role in contributing to this. • On behalf of the Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DECLG), Pobal managed the introduction of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Project (SICAP). This initiative commenced in April 2015 and is due to run until the end of 2017. So far, the programme has had some impressive results. To date, 23,456 individuals have received employment supports; 4,689 have progressed to self-employment while 2,506 local community groups have been assisted. • In conjunction with DECLG, Pobal managed the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). Through this programme, organisations in the community and voluntary sector who work with disadvantaged groups receive financial support. Pobal applied its expertise to assess applications to the scheme and make recommendations to ensure that funding was allocated to where it was most needed. In total, 54 organisations were funded, with over €4 million disbursed nationally. 06 Pobal Annual Report 2015 ONE Early years and young people While these are merely a small snapshot into some of the areas and the accomplishments of 2015, I feel that they • The Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA) help to show the breadth of our impact and stress the leads the effort to improve outcomes for children and wide range of sectors in which Pobal is playing an active young people in Ireland. In 2015, Pobal administered role. From supporting the quality of pre-school facilities thirteen programmes on behalf of DCYA representing for toddlers to providing alarms to older people living an investment of €91.9 million. Through targeted early alone, Pobal’s presence is evident across all ages and year’s services, 93,119 children were registered in all sectors. child centred programmes; 23,070 families availed of reduced childcare fees and 4,345 individual early None of this impact would be achievable without the years services were supported. dedication and diligence of Pobal staff. I feel that as a workforce we can all feel proud of what we achieved • Services under Better Start, a national initiative to in 2015. I would like to express my deep gratitude to all bring an integrated approach to Early Years Education staff who never hesitate to go that extra mile whenever and Care for Children aged from birth to six years required. started to commence operation in 2015. The Quality Development Service worked with 286 services in its As the external environment in which we operate first year catering for over 23,000 children. Better Start continues to develop, the onus is on us as an organisation will continue to expand its work in the coming years. to change and adapt to meet these new circumstances. I am fully confident that Pobal can rise to meet such Employment Activation challenges and continue to have a significant beneficial • The Department of Social Protection (DSP) provides effect in Irish life. supports to those who are seeking employment, who are marginalised or who may have a disability. Pobal, in partnership with DSP provided services to these groups during 2015 representing an investment of €229 million. The Community Service Programme (CSP) supports community business to deliver local essential services while at the same time providing employment opportunities at a local level. In 2015, CSP allocated Denis Leamy over €40 million to around 400 organisations creating CEO, Pobal thousands of jobs in towns and villages across the country. • Throughout 2015, Pobal successfully managed a number of payroll functions across schemes including; the Rural Social Scheme, Tús, the Disability Activation Project and Gateway. 07 Pobal Annual Report 2015 ONE ABOUT POBAL Who we are and what we do The company is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by Government who give of their time and Pobal is a not-for-profit company expertise on a voluntary basis.

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