Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2026
27. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if funding to support the refurbishment of community centres will be made available in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8724/26]
View answer41. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the sources of funding his Department makes available for the development of community centres, particularly in areas with a clear and long-standing deficit in community infrastructure. [8693/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 27 and 41 together.
My Department has a wide range of grant supports available to support the development and refurbishment of community centres nationwide. A summary of the schemes and the areas they target is provided below.
The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) was introduced to provide high quality, accessible, community spaces that are available to groups in all communities in both rural and urban areas. Some €110 million has been allocated since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. I am committed to delivering further iterations of the fund 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 open the next round of CCIF in the coming months, which will focus on refurbishment work in existing community centres. The details in this regard are currently being finalised.
The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) is targeted towards supporting communities that are impacted by disadvantage, as identified in the Local Economic and Community Plan of the relevant local authority. It provides small capital grants to community and voluntary groups for the improvement/refurbishment of their facilities and/or the purchase of equipment. The maintenance/refurbishment of community centres is eligible for funding under LEP 2026. All community and voluntary organisations are advised to check their local council's website and to engage with their Local Community Development Committees to ensure that they are aware of the application process for LEP 2026. The closing date for submission of applications is 27 February 2026 and it is expected that details of the successful projects are due to be announced in Quarter 2 of this year.
The CLÁR programme provides funding under different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. In 2025 I was delighted to announce a record €14 million in CLÁR funding. Measure 1 provides funding for community facilities and amenities. I hope to launch the new CLÁR scheme in the coming weeks.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is designed to support the revitalisation of rural towns and villages across Ireland. Since the launch of TVRS in 2016, over €210 million has been allocated to over 1,900 projects across Ireland. The scheme enables the provision of funding to rejuvenate town centres by supporting the renovation and upgrade of Community Centres into multipurpose community spaces.
TVRS priorities are reviewed and updated at the end of a scheme year and in advance of a call for proposals. As the 2025 TVRS is now closed, I would advise community groups to liaise with their local authority to ensure they are kept informed of upcoming calls for proposals for funding schemes that supports community centre development.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas, can provide funding towards projects that support the provision of community facilities. To date, the RRDF has allocated over €613 million for 273 projects across Ireland. I intend to launch an RRDF Category 1 Call for Proposals for large projects in the near future.
The LEADER Programme provides support to rural communities under a range of themes, including rural infrastructure and social inclusion themes. For many years it has supported projects relating to community facilities for people living in rural and remote areas. Recent examples of funding approved include over €155,000 towards the renovation of Drumraney Community Centre in Westmeath, almost €149,000 towards the enhancement of Montpelier Community Centre Development in Limerick, and over €114,000 towards the roof replacement at Killeshin Community Centre in Laois.
I will continue to ensure that an integrated suite of supports is available to communities to help them to develop and maintain these vital community resources.
Further information on the above schemes can be found on my department's website.
