Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 September 2026
207. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to reconsider the cancellation of the Men's Shed Sustainability Grant for 2026; and to consider the introduction of a permanent source of funding for Men's Sheds groups. [69124/26]
View answerMy Department is very supportive of both Men’s Sheds and Women’s Sheds. Indeed, I can assure the Deputy that I am very conscious of the important role that these groups play in communities across the country. Men’s Sheds provide a space for men of all ages to come together on a regular basis in a safe, comfortable and inclusive environment.
My Department provides funding to Men’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.
Since 2018, under my Department’s Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) and its iterations, Men’s Sheds have been allocated over €2.7 million, to assist with building upgrades and the purchase of equipment.
My Department also provides funding directly to the Irish Men's Shed Association (IMSA) under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). The SSNO provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national, community and voluntary organisations. The current iteration of the SSNO commenced on 1 July 2026, with funding of €297,766 over the three-years and 6-month period being provided to the IMSA.
In addition, since 2022, my Department has also provided over €2.3 million in current funding directly to the IMSA for onward distribution to individual Men's Sheds. Following a recent meeting with the IMSA to discuss this funding I received a new proposal in relation to the distribution of the funding.
Minister Buttimer and I also held positive and productive discussions with the IMSA on 22 September. Following that meeting, my officials have met with the IMSA and further meetings are planned to discuss their proposals for the 2026 Scheme.
Finally, the Deputy can be assured that I and my Department are totally committed to the work of Men's Sheds and also Women's Sheds on the ground. Given that the current distribution of funding has been identified by many individual sheds as cumbersome and being a burden, my priority when considering the future allocation mechanism for Men's Sheds is to ensure that the process is streamlined for the Sheds themselves and that funding is targeted and distributed in an effective and efficient manner.
