Written Answers Nos. 42-56
42. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the funding available from his Department for communities for new-build community facilities where the area is within the boundaries of a city, rather than a county council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53270/26]
View answerThe Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) was introduced to provide high quality community facilities that are available to all groups in both urban and rural communities.
Through the CCIF, some €112 million has been allocated for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres where such a need has been identified.
The 2023 CCIF was opened specifically for applications from community groups striving to build their own community centre to service local needs. This scheme provided funding of up to €6 million for new community centres on green or brownfield sites in city or rural areas. Over €30 million was approved for the construction of 12 new community centres.
I was delighted to launch the latest round of funding under CCIF 2026 on the 26th of March for enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres. The fund will be delivered across 2 categories with maximum funding levels of €25,000 and €100,000, respectively. The closing date has now passed, and the appraisal process has commenced. I look forward to announcing the successful projects later in the year.
I expect to announce a new iteration of CCIF for new build community centres next year. I would encourage organisations to check my Department’s website for information on funding opportunities and announcements.
44. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the additional supports he plans to introduce to tackle vacancy and dereliction in rural towns and villages. [53278/26]
View answerLaunched in 2022, the Town Centre First Policy is a major cross-government policy which aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres.
Town Regeneration Officers, or TRO’s, funded by my Department, work closely across multi-disciplinary teams in local authorities who are collectively responsible for town regeneration including combatting vacancy and dereliction. This includes for example dedicated ‘Capital Delivery Teams’, and Broadband Officers, who are also funded by my Department, and Vacant Homes Officers.
Importantly, a range of capital funding streams is available to support delivery on Town Centre First objectives. For example, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) have provided growing levels of funding to rural communities in recent years.
RRDF seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development. Since 2020, almost €447 million has been allocated for 164 projects across Ireland, including just over €15.9 million for 6 projects across Co. Offaly. RRDF is currently open in respect of a Sixth Call for Category 1 Call applications.
The TVRS is designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland and supports projects that bring derelict and vacant buildings and sites back into use as multi-purpose community spaces. Over €210 million has been allocated to over 1,900 projects since the launch of the scheme, of this over €8.4 million has been awarded to County Offaly for 71 projects. It is my intention to issue a call for proposals under the scheme in the coming months.
Town Centre First is also supported by other funding measures available across Government. For example, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, who holds joint responsibility for the policy, also implements a suite of schemes including the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund, the Vacant Property Refurbishment Grant and THRIVE.
My Department will continue to work closely with colleagues across Government to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages and addressing the issues of dereliction and vacancy.
45. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his Department has undertaken any assessment of whether rapidly growing communities within the administrative area of Fingal County Council, including Skerries, Rush, Lusk, Naul, Balbriggan and surrounding areas are receiving equitable access to rural development funding schemes compared with towns of similar population size in other counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53136/26]
View answerMy department delivers a number of schemes under the Rural Development Investment Programme, including, for example, the LEADER Programme, the Community Centre Investment Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.
It should be noted that the responsibility for identifying and selecting local priorities and submitting applications in response to departmental calls for proposals is often delegated to our project partners including local authorities. In respect of LEADER, the local action group is responsible for selecting and approving projects in its respective area.
In providing for a transparent and equitable treatment of proposals or applications for funding, the competitive assessment and approval of projects will have regard to a number of factors including alignment with Our Rural Future, Town Centre First plans, geographic spread, the range, mix, quality and impact of proposed projects, relevant local development strategies, past project delivery performance of local authorities and previous funding provided.
Further details on these programmes are provided below.
The LEADER programme supports the development of Ireland’s rural areas and covers all parts of Ireland with the exception of the five main cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Galway. In rural areas of Dublin, including the five areas referenced by the Deputy, a total budget of €4.7 million is available to the LEADER Local Action Group for the period from 2023 to 2027. This was allocated to the area using a national methodology which takes population density as well as deprivation levels into account.
The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) was introduced to provide high quality, accessible, community spaces that are available to all groups in all communities in both rural and urban areas. Almost €1.4 million has been allocated to 34 projects in the Dublin Fingal region since 2022.
I was delighted to launch the latest round of funding under CCIF 2026 on March 26th. The closing date has now passed, and the appraisal process has commenced. I look forward to announcing the successful projects later in the year.
The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways, water-based recreation sites and mountain trails. Since 2020, funding of over €420,000 has been approved for 11 projects in the Dublin Fingal region.
ORIS is currently open for applications with funding of up to €500,000 available for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is one of my Department’s schemes to support the revitalisation of rural towns and villages across Ireland. While it primarily targets funding at areas with populations of less than 10,000 people, applications for towns with populations of up to 15,000 people are also accepted where the project is of a high quality, displays good value for money and has the potential to significantly benefit the town. Since the launch of TVRS in 2016 over €210 million has been allocated to over 1,900 projects across Ireland. Of this over €3.7 million has been allocated to 45 projects across Fingal.
Administered by my Department, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (‘RRDF’) is a major capital investment scheme which supports large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas in line with the Town Centre First Policy. The focus of the RRDF is on our rural towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 people. To date, the RRDF has allocated over €610 million for 270 projects across Ireland. Each RRDF Call for proposals has a defined set of objectives and criteria, including population criteria, which are reviewed in advance of each call.
It should be noted that the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund is administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This acts as a parallel fund to the RRDF supporting the rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns with populations of over 9,000.
I am committed to ensuring that my Department will continue to support high quality and transformational projects across rural Ireland in line with the objectives of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy.
46. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will consider funding a virtual version of men's and women's sheds for farming and isolated rural communities who because of geography cannot avail of an in-person setting the purpose of which would be to provide a networked social setting supporting inclusiveness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46258/26]
View answerThe emergence of Men’s and Women’s Sheds has been a very positive development for communities across Ireland, helping to tackle rural isolation by providing a safe, comfortable and inclusive environment where men and women of all ages can share skills and work on meaningful projects and connect with their each other and their communities.
The in-person connections formed through Men’s and Women’s Sheds create meaningful, symbiotic relationships that allow people to build a strong sense of belonging and provide an opportunity to reduce loneliness and rural isolation.
My Department provides funding to Men’s and Women’s Sheds under various funding supports, including:
• The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP);
• The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2024 - 2028; and
• The LEADER programme.
Men’s and Women's Sheds can apply individually for all of these schemes.
In addition to these schemes, last May, I announced details of the individual Men’s Sheds who received funding from my Department provided through the Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA), to assist with their running costs.
I have not received any correspondence or proposals from the IMSA or the Women's Sheds Of Ireland (WSOI) in relation to establishing an online version of Men’s or Women’s Sheds. Should such a proposal be made, it would be considered by my department in the context of the overall resources available for Men's and Women's Sheds.
47. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress that has been made in implementing the Government's Trading for Impact: National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, and the additional measures he plans to introduce to support the growth of social enterprises in rural communities. [53277/26]
View answerIn July 2024 my Department launched Trading for Impact: the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, which was developed in partnership with the social enterprise sector. It has five key objectives: to build awareness of social enterprises; to help them grow their financial sustainability; to contribute to the green transition; to deepen alignment from local to international level, and to improve our understanding of social enterprises and their impact.
A Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) was established in June 2025, including public and private stakeholders, to coordinate delivery of the policy. Three Working Groups have now been established:
• to address social financing issues and gaps.
• to increase participation in public and private procurement, and
• to raise awareness of social enterprises and make their impact more visible.
Through these structures, work is continuing to support and grow the sector, and I was pleased to secure €400k of additional funding in the 2026 Budget to support this work. This funding will assist the Department, inform the Stakeholder Engagement Group and the Working Groups where appropriate, to make sure that social enterprises are supported appropriately in line with the policy objectives.
The 8th National Social Enterprise Conference was held in Ballinasloe, Galway on 20 November organised on behalf of the department by a consortium of social enterprise representative bodies: Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI), Irish Social Enterprise Network (ISEN), the Local Development Company Network (LDCN), and the Wheel.
This consortium also delivered the first DRCDG National Social Enterprise Awards that took place in October 2025, putting a spotlight on the immense impact social enterprises have on our communities. The consortium also delivered a series of Regional Stakeholder Events, and a Pilot Transition Year Project to raise awareness of social enterprise among 2nd level students.
A Social Enterprise Verification Project was launched in 2025 and delivered on behalf of DRCDG by Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland to investigate the challenges and merits of a voluntary accreditation for social enterprises in Ireland. A second phase of the pilot was commissioned in early 2026.
Since 22 January 2025 two Dormant Accounts Funds (DAF) Schemes launched:
• In May 2025 the awardees under the €4m ‘DAF Growing Social Enterprise Scheme’ were announced. 125 social enterprises received capital funding of up to €97k for projects such as building works, renovations, refurbishments, or for the purchase of equipment, machinery or vehicles,
• In April 2026 a €4m ‘DAF Sustaining Social Enterprise Scheme’ was opened for applications. The scheme is designed to support established social enterprises to grow their traded income and become more financially self-sufficient. I will announce the awardees later this year.
Foróige continue to roll out the Social Enterprise Module of the NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) to approx. 6,000 young people. YSI have been engaged to raise awareness of social enterprise among its cohort of young people. A Transition Year Pilot was funded in 2025 as part of the Policy Support Contract.
Another measure being carried out to support the growth of social enterprises in rural communities is the organising Social Enterprise Forum regional events. The events will take place during September and October of this year. They are designed to help social enterprises learn from experts, discover funding options and network with peers.
Last year I launched the New Solutions Social Innovation Hub that supports social innovators across Ireland to develop, test, and grow new solutions to social challenges. Through the Social Innovation Hub, social enterprises can gain access to combine funding, practical supports, and hands-on guidance so that innovators can focus on creating real impact.
Areas of focus with the Department at the moment are:
• A new Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) Scheme to grow financial sustainability, which was launched in April this year,
• Engagement with stakeholders including the Office of Government Procurement to increase procurement and sustainability for social enterprises through traded income,
• Phase 2 of a pilot, voluntary ‘quality mark’ for social enterprises to help build their visibility, and
• Completion of the Census of Social Enterprises which will assist us to better understand and support the sector, and help set the direction of future policy. The report will be launched later this year at the National Social Enterprise Conference.
I am committed to seeing this policy delivered, and can assure the Deputy that my officials, in partnership with the stakeholders, will work to ensure that the actions are implemented over the lifetime of the policy.
48. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will outline funding for public libraries in DCC and FCC in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53260/26]
View answerThe provision of library services, including the My Open Library service, is primarily the responsibility of local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001.
Notwithstanding this, investing in our public library services is a key priority for me, as Minister with responsibility for the development of library policy at the national level. This is reflected in the current National Public Library Strategy 2023-2027 ‘The Library is the Place', which is a five-year plan containing 66 actions to strengthen and further enhance public libraries as multi-purpose social and educational spaces.
On 26 June 2026, under the Libraries Capital Programme, Minister Calleary and I announced €3m in funding for targeted Small-scale Capital Investment in public libraries. This funding will provide sensory equipment, accessibility infrastructure, ICT hardware upgrades to increase broadband speed, and modern furniture and operational equipment for public libraries across the country.
These strategic investments and targeted initiatives demonstrate my Department’s commitment to ensuring public libraries remain accessible, inclusive and dynamic spaces that empower individuals and communities alike.
Please see table below for details of the funding for public libraries in Dublin City Council and Fingal County Council, as requested.
|
Year |
Local Authority |
Funding awarded |
|
2026 |
Dublin City Council |
€217,311.84 |
|
2026 |
Fingal County Council |
€147,505.89 |
49. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will report on the inadequacy of funding for community centres which forces them to fundraise to make ends meet rather than provide the services to the community for which they were established. [43526/26]
View answerMy Department recognises the vital role played by community centres in towns and villages across the country and the enormous contribution made by the volunteers and community organisations that manage these facilities. While many community centres undertake local fundraising to support their activities and meet ongoing operational costs, my Department provides significant support through a range of capital and current funding programmes to strengthen their sustainability and long-term viability.
Through the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF), my Department has provided significant support for the upgrade and refurbishment of community centres, including works relating to energy efficiency, accessibility, maintenance and essential improvements. Acknowledging the important role community centres play in society, some €112 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. Over €2.5 million has been allocated to 56 projects in County Clare in the same period. Clare’s total allocation was €1,048,097 in the latest round of funding. For example, Quin Community Centre, Tulla Courthouse and Community Centre and Mountshannon Community Hall each received grants of up to €100,000 for refurbishment and enhancement works. Other Clare projects supported included Clonlara Leisure and Sports Society Community Centre, Obair Family Centre in Newmarket-on-Fergus and Kilfenora Community Centre. These investments are helping to ensure that community facilities remain accessible, sustainable and fit for purpose.
In addition, the Community Recognition Fund (CRF) has supported community organisations and facilities in areas that have welcomed new arrivals to their communities. County Clare benefited from €2.6 million under this fund in 2024. Funding has also been made available through programmes such as the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP), which provides small-scale grants to community and voluntary groups to assist with facility improvements and equipment purchases.
The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas including Community Centre enhancements and small-scale refurbishments. Last year over €14 million was approved for 238 projects under the programme, with funding being provided for community facilities and amenities, community vehicles and specific support for island communities. This included 9 projects in County Clare to the value of almost €600,000.
My Department also supports the community and voluntary sector through the Community Services Programme (CSP), the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), LEADER and supports for Local Development Companies and Public Participation Networks. Collectively, these programmes strengthen community infrastructure, build local capacity and support the delivery of services that enhance community wellbeing in County Clare and throughout the country.
50. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the timeline for the issue of approvals under the acquisition measure of the town and village renewal scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53310/26]
View answerThe Town and Village Renewal Scheme was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland.
The Building Acquisition Measure was launched in 2022 under the TScheme to allow local authorities to purchase vacant and derelict buildings for future development as community assets. Following the success of the measure in 2022 it was made available again in 2023 to purchase vacant and derelict buildings to bring them back into use as multi-purpose community spaces. The measure was subsequently broadened in 2025 to permit additional types of acquisitions, becoming the Building and Land Acquisition Measure.
On the 29 April last, a Call for Proposals under the 2026 Building and Land Acquisition Measure was announced. Local authorities were invited to submit up to three applications for vacant or derelict buildings or land with funding available of up to €500,000. The closing date for receipt of applications to the Department was the 29 May.
The Scheme is heavily subscribed, and all applications received are being competitively assessed for suitability against scheme criteria and objectives. Other factors such as the geographical spread of projects, the quality of the proposed projects, and the available budget will also be considered to maximise the impact of this funding.
Assessment of these applications is nearing completion, and local authorities will be informed of the successful applications within the coming weeks. For reasons of commercial sensitivity, details of individual projects receiving support under this Measure will be released only after the purchase of the properties or lands in question have been completed.
51. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the way in which local community development committees can contribute to more effective local decision-making and community-led development; the objectives of the new national campaign to increase public awareness of their role; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53295/26]
View answerMy Department has strategic responsibility for the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs). Established under the Local Government (Reform) Act 2014, LCDCs are important structures at local level with statutory responsibilities that include supporting the engagement of community and voluntary organisations in local decision-making, and acting as a collaborative bridge between local authorities, state agencies and local communities. Each LCDC prepares a six year Local Economic and Community Plan (LECP), which ensures that public funding and local initiatives align directly with the agreed strategic objectives of the plan and meet the identified needs of communities served.
In December 2024, my Department engaged a marketing consultant to improve the awareness and understanding of the LCDCs through clear messaging, together with the use of specially developed communication assets. The work of the consultant was overseen by a working group led by my department, which also included representatives of relevant stakeholders such as state bodies, the LGMA and CCMA, PPNs and other government departments.
On May 1st last, I was delighted to launch the new national awareness campaign to highlight how LCDCs connect public bodies and communities across Ireland. The overall objective of the campaign was to raise public awareness on the role and function of the LCDCs and how they contribute to the development of local communities, through economic and community actions contained in each of the Local Economic and Community Plans (LECPs).
The campaign entitled - “Our LCDCs - Building better communities together - le chéile” – ran for a period of three weeks across local and regional radio, podcasts, and online media. The project also included a comprehensive training element that was delivered nationally to LCDC members and staff, including briefing sessions for local authority communications staff to ensure impact across all 33 LCDCs. A total of 6 on-line training videos were also designed and are freely available on a new dedicated website, www.gov.ie.lcdc. These video assets will prove beneficial in terms of continued messaging on the role of the LCDCs and are also to be used in the induction for new LCDC members and staff.
In addition, each LCDC is to develop an annual LCDC strategic communications plan, together with initiatives that will enhance engagement with community and voluntary organisations, such as the publication of “hero stories” in the LCDC annual reports, and the development and promotion of LCDC videos and podcasts on local authority websites. This resource will also benefit community and voluntary organisations, and the Public Participation Networks (PPNs).
Finally, to ensure the sustained viability and ongoing momentum of the campaign, and as part of the annual LCDC Networking event, my Department will be arranging a further capacity building event for LCDC Chief Officers, staff and committee members. This interactive session will invite proposals from LCDC attendees as to how to keep the awareness campaign energised at a local level.
I thank the Deputy for raising this important campaign and I would encourage all public representatives to promote the new LCDC website in their engagements with local community and voluntary groups.
52. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his attention has been drawn to community wealth building, as a model for retaining public expenditure within our towns and counties and promoting balanced economic development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51495/26]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the concept of community wealth building refers to a range of approaches to local economic development. While my Department does not have a dedicated community wealth building fund as such, our wide range of policies and funding programmes that provide support for local economic development and community-led local development are in line with many of the principles of community wealth building.
The creation of an environment in which social enterprises can thrive is a key element of community wealth building. My Department leads on the implementation of the Government's social enterprise policy, “Trading for Impact”, which was launched in 2024. Its key objectives are to help cultivate and sustain strong and impactful social enterprises that enrich the social, environmental, and economic well-being of people living in our communities.
A Stakeholder Engagement Group (SEG) has been set up to co-ordinate input into the delivery of Trading for Impact on a cross sectoral basis along with a number of working groups, including a Social Procurement Working Group. Its aim is to support increased social and green procurement in Ireland, collect information, develop supports, consider issues and identify potential solutions and options in relation to social and green procurement, in line with the Policy, to help grow traded income.
My department's Community Services Programme (CSP) 2023-2027 currently supports community-based organisations and supports the delivery of 453 local services via 434 organisations, with a total allocation of €59.4m for 2026. The CSP Programme supports community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services that meet identified needs and provide employment locally.
The national rural development policy "Our Rural Future" has, over its lifespan, provided significant investment and supports, strengthened local economies and improved the lives of many people in rural communities across Ireland. The initiative has shifted focus toward its next generation phase, Our Rural Future 2026-2031, following an extensive public consultation process.
The LEADER Programme, which supports economic development and job creation in rural areas, is a prime example of community-led local development.
It should also be noted that the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Building Acquisition Measure of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, invest in the regeneration of rural towns and villages, including measures for the acquisition of buildings for community use, which aligns with the concept of community wealth building. In addition, my Department’s Community and Language Support Programme provides ongoing capital and ongoing assistance to support community organisations and committees throughout the Gaeltacht that work for the Irish language and for the benefit of Gaeltacht communities.
The SICAP programme supports integrated approaches to community development, addressing disadvantage at local level and supporting community-led initiatives in urban and rural areas.
Separately, the Guidelines for the development of Local Economic and Community Plans (LECPs) by local authorities contain a clear framework for local economic development. My department provides resources to the local authorities to support the work of the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs), including the preparation and monitoring of the LECPs, through the Additional Staff Resource (ASR) fund.
53. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the expected timeline for the publication of details of the new SÍOL Programme and opening of applications for this new initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53308/26]
View answerI was delighted to launch the SÍOL programme last week on the 8th July 2026. SÍOL, which translates to ‘Seed’ in English, stands for Scéim Infheistíochta ag Obair Le Chéile, and this translates to the ‘Working Together Investment Scheme’. Capital funding of €31.5 million has been secured up to 2030 in the National Development Plan to support the new SÍOL programme.
The programme aims to deliver supports such as community safety projects, public realms works, projects to support health and wellbeing initiatives, and projects that support access to education and training, while targeting the supports to the urban areas with the highest concentration of disadvantage.
The new programme uses an evidence base including the Pobal HP Deprivation Index, information from the CSO report Urban and Rural Life in Ireland and research by the ESRI. In addition, the programme takes into consideration the areas in Ireland covered by the CLÁR programme to ensure geographical complementarity. Priority is given to those small areas with the highest population of extreme disadvantage, and the scheme is designed to provide similar supports to these areas that is given to rural areas through schemes such as CLÁR.
15 areas have been designated as SÍOL areas, and there will be €5 million funding available to these areas in 2026. Further information on the programme is available on my Department's website including the full list of SÍOL areas and the Electoral Divisions that comprise them.
A Call for Proposals issued to all local authorities with responsibility for SÍOL areas on 8 July 2026 and the deadline for the submission of applications for funding is 14 August 2026. My Department expects to announce the successful projects in late 2026 and all projects must be completed within 18 months of approval.
54. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the engagement he has had with other Government Departments and State agencies to support hotels in rural communities and small towns. [53282/26]
View answerAs confirmed in my response to the Deputy's previous questions, of 21 May and 26 March, my department’s Rural Development Investment Programme includes a range of schemes providing capital funding with a focus on the economic and social development of our rural areas.
These schemes do not, however, include a specific focus on the provision of hotel accommodation. However, there are a limited number of projects which have been supported by the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme which have seen short stay accommodation included as part of wider multi-functional projects. Similarly, while the LEADER programme does not generally support hotel based projects, it has supported projects related to tourist accommodation for example, through support for glamping projects and other tourism focused initiatives.
More widely, the sustainability of our rural businesses, including the tourism sector, is clearly enhanced by the provision of public and community infrastructure. The funding made available by my department, through the range of schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme is clearly having positive impacts in this regard.
At a cross governmental level, responsibility for business and enterprise supports and tourism resides with my colleague Peter Burke, as Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. This includes responsibility for the National Tourism Policy Statement, A New Era for Irish Tourism, which was published in December 2025 and which sets out the Government’s long-term approach to the development of Irish tourism.
55. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whether he will take a role in the failure to deliver community centres and other community services in new housing estates. [52756/26]
View answerMy department has invested substantial levels of funding in resourcing community centres in recent years and this investment is set to continue.
The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) was introduced to provide high quality, accessible, community spaces that are available to all groups in all communities in both rural and urban areas. Some €112 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.
I was delighted to launch the latest round of funding under CCIF 2026 on March 26th for enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres. The fund will be delivered across 2 categories with maximum funding levels of €25,000 and €100,000 respectively. The closing date has now passed, and the appraisal process has commenced.
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention programme overseen by my Department. This is a national programme that is delivered in both rural and urban areas by Local Development Companies (LDCs) to help those in the greatest need.
SICAP supports individuals and community groups who face disadvantage, providing targeted supports in areas such as employment, mental health, education, and community engagement and improving the quality of life of those facing social exclusion and inequality. The supports are provided by the staff of Local Development Companies in local communities across the country, often using community centres as their bases.
SICAP funding is subject to the annual budgetary Estimates process. I secured an additional €1.5m in Budget 2026 and bringing the annual funding for SICAP to over €50m and I am committed to progressively increasing funding for SICAP, in line with the Programme for Government commitment.
My Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports 434 community-based organisations, including 84 organisations under the primary activity of Community Halls, Sports, and Resource Centres. The CSP Programme provides an annual co-funding contribution towards the employment of 55 manager positions and 331 FTE positions, with a total funding allocation of €36.772 million to these organisations over the Programme period i.e. 2023-2027.
All eligible organisations, including those that are based in areas with new housing developments were given an opportunity to apply under the Open Call for applications to join the CSP Programme, which closed for receipt of preliminary applications on 08 May. All applications received are currently going through the various stages of the appraisal process. It is anticipated that organisations will be notified of the outcome of this Preliminary Application stage in the coming weeks. Subsequently, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit a full application to Pobal.
The community centres that facilitate both programmes can be found in a variety of places and there is nothing in SICAP or the CSP that precludes the use of community centres in new housing estates.
56. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his views on the recently announced draft National Planning Statement to Transform Approach to Rural Housing-Delivering Greater Clarity and Consistency. [53135/26]
View answerI welcome the publication of the Draft Sustainable Rural and Gaeltacht Housing National Planning Statement by my colleague, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
Housing is fundamental to the viability of our rural towns and villages and to the sustainability of rural communities across Ireland.
The publication of this draft Planning Statement recognises this by seeking to bring greater clarity and consistency to rural housing policy and providing a clear decision-making framework for planning authorities, applicants and local communities. This will in effect deliver clear and practical improvements for people in rural communities across the country in line with the policy objectives of Our Rural Future.
In addition, the publication of the Planning Statement is also an important development for our Gaeltacht communities. Importantly, we now have a clear and specific approach which will deliver practical benefits for our Gaeltacht areas.
I look forward to the finalisation and adoption of the Planning Statement so that we can begin to see the benefits that implementation can bring for rural communities throughout the country.
