Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 January 2026
345. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if new build community centres were delivered by his Department in 2025; if he will provide details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4779/26]
View answer346. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide details of refurbishments completed under the Community Centres Investment Fund in 2025. [4780/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 346 together.
My Department recognises the importance of community centres throughout Ireland. Applications for works on community centres are welcome under a number of programmes operated by my Department such as the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF), LEADER, the Town & Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) and the Rural Regeneration & Development Fund (RRDF).
Through the CCIF, some €110 million has been allocated since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres where such a need has been identified. In early 2024, funding of over €30 million was approved for the construction of 12 new community centres covering nine counties. These new centres are at various stages of design and delivery, with 7 projects now at construction stage and the first project completions expected later this year.
On 11 March 2025, I announced funding of over €26 million for the refurbishment of 369 community centres under category 2 of the 2024 CCIF providing funding of up to €100,000 for refurbishment works to existing community centres.
During 2025, 245 community centre refurbishment projects with associated funding of €11.7 million were completed under CCIF. These are projects that would have been approved in 2022 and 2024.
I am committed to delivering further iterations of the CCIF in the coming years in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government for this to become a permanent rolling fund. I expect to deliver the next round of CCIF this year, which will focus on refurbishment work in existing community centres. The details in this regard are currently being finalised.
The LEADER Programme provides support to rural communities and has for many years supported various community centre projects. In 2025, 9 projects valued at €280,000 were completed and an additional 25 projects valued at €1.6m were approved for funding.
It should also be noted that both RRDF and TVRS schemes also support the renovation and upgrade of community centres. TVRS funding of almost €3.2m was made available and saw the completion of refurbishment of 17 community centres in 2025. In addition, funding of €3.3m has been approved in 2025 under TVRS for 12 projects which include community centres under the announcement made on 22nd December.
The RRDF also supported the delivery of four projects in 2025 which included the provision of community facilities, as part of larger, multi-element projects. In addition, a further ten Category 2 projects were approved in 2025 that include proposals for community facilities as part of larger, multi-element projects.
Details of all funding provided and scheme descriptions is available on the Department’s website.
