Written Answers Nos. 2040-2054
2040. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the arrangements made with subsidised ferry operators and connecting bus transport links to ensure carriage of small animals such as cats and dogs that need to be brought to veterinary surgeons on the mainland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35038/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe manner in which small animals such as dogs and cats are carried on subsidised transport services for the islands is a matter for each operator. The Department does not compel or restrict the carriage of any type of domesticated animal on subsidised transport services. However, each operator is obliged to have appropriate Health and Safety policies in place to ensure that services are delivered in a safe manner.
It is a matter for each transport operator to put in place the arrangements they consider appropriate for the carriage of small animals on their vessels/vehicles, having regard to the safety of all passengers and crew, while also considering factors such as local demand/requirements and the suitability/capacity of the vessel/vehicle.
As with all Health and Safety issues, the master/skipper/driver will make the final determination as to whether and how an animal may be carried on a service, and will refuse to do so if the safety of the boat, passengers or crew is compromised.
2041. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the estimated annual cost of restoring funding to the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme to its 2008 levels, in tabular form. [35064/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme, which aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality by supporting disadvantaged communities and individuals. 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.
The current iteration of SICAP began on 1 January 2024 and will run until the end of 2028. My Department has committed over €47m in core funding in 2024 for SICAP.
The funding for SICAP is subject to the annual budgetary Estimates process. I acknowledge that funding for social inclusion measures were reduced after 2008. However, since then, a wide variety of additional social inclusion measures have been initiated and funded, with some recent examples being the Empowering Communities Programme, the Community Development Programme and the newly announced Community Connection Project.
The work of SICAP is of huge importance to communities across Ireland in tackling the issues they face, linking in directly with the agreed objectives of the Local Economic and Community Plans. I believe SICAP to be a hugely important programme and was delighted to secure a 10% increase for SICAP for 2022, the largest increase since the programme was launched. In 2023 I secured a further increase of €1.3m and for 2024 a further increase of €3m. This represents a total increase of €8.3 million in the programme increasing the annual funding to €47.4m. Separate to this increase in funding, I also secured additional funding of €5m through SICAP to support Ukrainian Nationals displaced by war in 2022 and this increased to €10m in 2023 and 2024 and included supports to all New Arrivals and International Protection Applicants.
In 2008, the level of funding for SICAP was €84m. To return to this level of funding within the lifetime of the current iteration of SICAP, an increase of over €9m (€9,134,129.50) would be required each year from 2025 – 2028.
|
2008 |
€84m |
|
2024 |
€47,463,482 |
|
2025 |
€56,597,611.50 |
|
2026 |
€65,731,741 |
|
2027 |
€74,865,870.50 |
|
2028 |
€84m |
2042. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the projects in County Tipperary that were funded under Local Enhancement Programme to date in 2024. [35083/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast December, I launched the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP), with capital funding of €6 million to assist community groups across the country. The LEP is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible supports where they are needed most.
There was a particular focus on small capital works/improvements, and the purchase of equipment for community use. The funding may be used, but is not limited to; improved access for persons with a disability; enhancing community participation for disadvantaged and marginalised groups, and improving energy efficiency of community facilities to reduce ongoing costs.
Under the Local Enhancement Programme €1 million was ring-fenced to support Women's groups building on the €100,000 ring-fenced under the Community Support Fund the previous year.
The LEP is administered locally on behalf of my Department by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority. The relevant LCDC receive and appraise applications, making determinations on how the funding can best support their communities.
With regard to specific projects in Tipperary, I can confirm that Tipperary LCDC received an allocation of €178,045 under the Local Enhancement Programme 2024, with €35,609 ring-fenced for Women's Groups. 245 projects were awarded funding under the main LEP in Tipperary and 43 Women's Groups received funding.
The Local Enhancement Programme is now closed to applicants, and details of successful projects under both the main LEP and the Women's Groups ring-fenced funding have been published on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd. This includes a full list of approved projects in Tipperary.
2043. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the current annual capital and current funding in place for applications for new community centres, as well as for refurbishment and updating of existing community centres, in tabular form. [35089/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLast December, I launched the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP), with capital funding of €6 million to assist community groups across the country. The LEP is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible supports where they are needed most.
There was a particular focus on small capital works/improvements, and the purchase of equipment for community use. The funding may be used, but is not limited to; improved access for persons with a disability; enhancing community participation for disadvantaged and marginalised groups, and improving energy efficiency of community facilities to reduce ongoing costs.
Under the Local Enhancement Programme €1 million was ring-fenced to support Women's groups building on the €100,000 ring-fenced under the Community Support Fund the previous year.
The LEP is administered locally on behalf of my Department by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority. The relevant LCDC receive and appraise applications, making determinations on how the funding can best support their communities.
With regard to specific projects in Tipperary, I can confirm that Tipperary LCDC received an allocation of €178,045 under the Local Enhancement Programme 2024, with €35,609 ring-fenced for Women's Groups. 245 projects were awarded funding under the main LEP in Tipperary and 43 Women's Groups received funding.
The Local Enhancement Programme is now closed to applicants, and details of successful projects under both the main LEP and the Women's Groups ring-fenced funding have been published on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd. This includes a full list of approved projects in Tipperary.
2044. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the current annual funding to the community services programme and to clarify if community development projects and social enterprises can apply for funding under the programme, in tabular form. [35090/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community-based organisations, with a budget of €52.4m in 2024, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. CSP provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported, and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a manager.
The Community Services Programme addresses the issue of equality through the promotion of social enterprise as an approach to alleviating disadvantage, addressing local needs and creating sustainable jobs for those most distant from the labour market and from specific target groups. Eligible organisations under the programme must have a registered office based in the Republic of Ireland, be a community and voluntary sector organisation i.e. operating on a “not-for-profit” basis for the benefit of the community they serve, be incorporated e.g. be a company limited by guarantee or co-operative which is registered with the Companies Registration Office and the Registrar of Friendly Societies (for co-operatives), have a governing body such as a board or committee and a governing document that has been formally adopted by the organisation and be tax compliant i.e. be registered with Revenue and obtained a tax clearance certificate. I can confirm that community development projects and social enterprises can apply for funding under this programme, provided they meet these requirements.
Funding of €1m was made available for a Call for Proposals in respect of specific CSP services which issued in March 2023, which resulted in the approval of 14 organisations to enter the CSP programme on 13th December last. Some other applications that were not approved to enter the programme arising from this call may be considered at a later date, subject to the availability of funding.
While no further calls for proposals are anticipated at this time, my Department can hold contact details on file should the programme open for new applicants in the near future. Contact details for a nominated person can be provided to the email address, csp@drcd.gov.ie. It should be noted that any additional new entrants will be considered in light of available budgets.
2045. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to give an overview of current EU rules for de minimis LEADER funding, both for community and commercial. [35093/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. The LEADER Programme provides supports for community groups and micro, small and medium enterprises (SME) including through capital funding grants.
The LEADER Programme is co-funded by the EU and is subject to EU regulations in relation to the delivery of the Programme, including those governing state aid and de minimis aid. As such, the level of state aid funding provided to any one recipient, over any period of three years, must not exceed a ceiling of €300,000, known as the de minimis ceiling.
It is considered that LEADER funding provided to all project promoters in Ireland involves state aid and the de minimis rules apply. As outlined in the LEADER programme Operating Rules, all project promoters must declare to the Local Action Group (LAG) at application stage whether or not they have received other public funding, and if so, must provide a declaration stating the de minimis status of the aid received. A declaration is not required for agricultural de minimis when grant aid being awarded under LEADER and other combined aid over the three-year period does not exceed €280,000. A false declaration by a project promoter, resulting in the de minimis threshold being exceeded, could give rise to the aid being recovered with interest.
It should be noted that, in general, that state aid and de minimis will not apply for many LEADER projects undertaken by community applicants as they are not involved in economic activity (offering goods and services in a given market), and/or the project does not pass all of the state aid checks. However, if the project involves economic activity, then it is subject to state aid rules and de minimis applies regardless of whether the community group has a charitable status, how it is financed or whether it has a not-for-profit orientation
More information on state aid and de minimis requirements for the LEADER programme is available in the 2023 – 2027 LEADER Operating Rules, at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/a5017c-leader-guidelines/
2046. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there are plans to review current CLÁR areas considering population decline for different age cohorts. [35094/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's CLÁR scheme is a targeted investment programme that provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. This scheme has gone from strength to strength in recent years. Under the 2023 scheme I approved over €13 million for 303 projects.
The areas originally selected for inclusion in the programme in 2001 were those which suffered the greatest level of population decline from 1926 to 1996. The average population loss in the original CLÁR areas over the period 1926 to 1996 was 50%.
In 2006, an analysis of the 2002 Census data was carried out by Maynooth University and the programme was extended to include areas with an average population loss of 35% between 1926 and 2002.
A national review of CLÁR areas was subsequently undertaken in 2021 using the 2016 Census of Population data. From the review it is clear that many areas have seen population growth in the relevant period rather than decline, and indeed the most recent census data published by the Central Statistics Office points to further population growth across all counties since 2016.
The details of the review continue to be considered by my Department. In addition, the implications of the latest Census data would need to be evaluated before any decisions are made in relation to changing areas eligible for funding under the CLÁR programme. I believe that the current designation has served us very well and I don’t want to make changes unless they add value to the scheme.
Furthermore, it is important to consider the context in which CLÁR now operates. I have developed a suite of supports for communities in rural areas so that there is a range of different funding options available to rural communities, be they in CLÁR areas or otherwise. This includes the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the Community Centres Investment Fund to name a few.
I look forward to announcing more successful projects under CLÁR 2024 later in the year.
2047. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on a proposal regarding LEADER funding (details supplied). [35097/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a rural development programme co-funded by the EU that operates a locally-led, bottom-up approach to meeting the needs of local communities and businesses. The programme supports private enterprises and community groups in rural areas.
From 2007 to 2020 the LEADER programme was included in the suite of measures that constituted Ireland’s Rural Development Programme. The Rural Development Programmes, agreed by each Member State with the EU Commission, were designed to correspond to specified Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) programming periods. The CAP programming periods in turn correspond to the EU's budgetary cycle. The Rural Development Programme has now been replaced by each Member State’s CAP Strategic Plan.
The previous CAP programming period ran from 2014-2020 with a transitional programme operating in the years 2021 and 2022 as the CAP Regulations were being agreed and finalised at EU level. Throughout this time the LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) accepted and approved funding applications from prospective applicants with the final date for project approvals set at 31 December 2023.
The current CAP programming period will run from 2023-2027 and it is expected that arrangements will be agreed at EU level for a successor programme to commence thereafter. The 2023-2027 LEADER programme is now operational and prospective applicants can apply for funding under the programme by contacting their LAG to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. The contact details for the Local Action Group in Clare are as follows:
Phone: 065 6866800
General Email: info@cldc.ie
Address: Unit 1, Westgate Business Park, Kilrush Road, Ennis, Co. Clare.
2048. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for a list of organisations who have made funding applications to her Department between 2020 and 2024; the schemes they have applied for; whether they were successful or not and if successful, the amount of the award, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35116/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra2049. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for a list of community organisations from Wexford who have made funding applications to her Department between 2020 and 2024; the schemes they have applied for; whether they were successful or not, and if successful, the amount of the award, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35119/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 2048 and 2049 together.
My Department operates a large number of schemes aimed at supporting both rural development and community development. In order to empower local responses to local needs, the majority of schemes operated by my Department are administered in partnership with the Local Authorities, Pobal, or the Local Development Companies.
The main rural development programmes provided by my Department are:
• Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF),
• LEADER,
• Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS),
• Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS),
• Local Improvement Scheme (LIS),
• CLÁR programme, and
• Support for Islands transport services and capital works.
There are also a range of other smaller supports including the Walks Scheme, Connected Hubs and Broadband Connection Points.
Key community development schemes include:
• Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP),
• Community Services Programme (CSP),
• Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF),
• Community Recognition Fund (CRF),
• Libraries Development, and
• Local Enhancement Programme (LEP)/Community Enhancement Programme (CEP).
A number of measures are also in place to strengthen the social fabric and enable communities to thrive. These include funding to support Volunteer Centres, Public Participation Networks, Local Community Development Committees, the Scheme to Support National Organisations, and Men and Women’s Sheds. Responding to the needs of communities is central to the work of my Department. With that in mind, a number of targeted one-off measures have also been provided. These include the Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme, the COVID19 Stability Fund and additional funding for new arrivals.
Where schemes involve an application and assessment process, the terms and conditions include that information on successful applications will be published, however, information on unsuccessful applicants is not published.
My Department has provided thousands of individual grants since its establishment in 2017. Full details of the funding provided to successful organisations is published on my Department’s website. Links to information and grantees for a number of the main schemes is provided below.
• The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a key capital investment scheme which directly supports the objectives of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy. To date, funding of €577 million has been allocated to 245 projects worth €768 million. The detail in relation to the projects awarded funding in each county is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/7be140-test/
• The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €177 million has been allocated to more than 1,800 projects across Ireland. The detail in relation to the projects awarded funding in each county is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/0012f5-town-and-village-renewal-scheme/
• The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways and blue ways throughout rural Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme in 2016, funding of almost €129 million has supported 1,776 projects across the country. The detail in relation to the projects awarded funding in each county is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/90a66b-approved-funding-for-outdoor-recreation-projects/
• The CLÁR Programme provides funding for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period. Since the CLÁR programme was reintroduced in 2016, funding of over €70 million has been approved for almost 2,400 projects. The detail in relation to the projects awarded funding in each county is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/91ba52-clar/
• The Community Centres Investment Fund is the largest ever capital investment in Community Centres. It provides funding for investments in Community Centres to ensure these vital services remain useable, accessible, and safe and continue to meet the needs of the community into the future. The detail in relation to the projects awarded funding in each county is available on my Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/3a8bd-community-centre-investment-fund-successful-projects/
• The LEADER programme is based on a community-led approach to rural development and plays an important role in supporting communities and enterprises in progressing job creation, social inclusion and environmental projects at local level. Details in relation to projects funded under LEADER is available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/b849be-local-action-groups-approved-projects-2014-2020/
• The Connected Hubs fund invested €14 million in almost 200 projects between 2021 and 2022, enabling successful applicants to add additional capacity to existing remote working infrastructure in digital hubs and Broadband Connection Points throughout the country. Details in relation to the projects awarded funding in each county are set out at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/collection/49822-2021-connected-hubs-fund-successful-applicants/
• The Community Recognition Fund was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Through the 2023 allocation, funding of €50 million was approved for some 900 projects in support cities, towns and villages nationwide. Based on the continued impacts on communities throughout the country and the need to support these communities in welcoming new arrivals, a further €50 million is being provided under the Community Recognition Fund 2024. Details in relation to the projects awarded funding in each county are set out at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/service/e626a-community-recognition-fund-2023/#2023-community-recognition-fund-approvals
• The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) which replaces my Department’s Community Enhancement Programme was launched last December with capital funding of €6 million to assist thousands of community groups across the country. Since 2018, my Department has allocated €58.9 million in funding under the Community Enhancement Programme and its iterations for local community groups. Past projects supported by the programme include Women’s Sheds, Men’s Sheds, operating costs and minor capital works. Details of the 2024 LEP allocations are available at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/press-release/106e1-ministers-humphreys-and-obrien-announce-6-million-department-of-rural-community-development-local-enhancement-programme-2024/
With regard to funding in County Wexford, a full table of the grant allocations made to organisations in County Wexford over the period 2020 to 2024 to date is provided with this answer.
2050. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding provided to counties Offaly and Laois through the LEADER Programme for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and to date in 2024, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35338/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas and is delivered at local level by Local Action Groups (LAGs).
There were 122 projects approved in Laois under the LEADER programme for the period of 2020 to 2023 for over €5.7 million. There were, for the same period, 180 projects approved for Offaly for over €5.1 million. This programme closed for approvals at the end of 2023.
The 2023-2027 LEADER programme has now commenced in counties Laois and Offaly. The LAGs in these areas are in the early stages of implementation which involves engaging with their respective communities and working with them to develop their project proposals. As such, the level of project approvals to date in 2024 is understandably low but I look forward to seeing progress in this area over the coming months. To date, in 2024, there are three projects approved for the Offaly sub-regional area and there are, as yet, no projects approved for Laois.
The annual breakdown for both Offaly and Laois are in table 1 below.
Table 1: Project approvals under LEADER for Laois and Offaly sub-regional areas for the years 2020-2023 and to date in 2024
|
- |
- |
Laois |
- |
Offaly |
|
Year |
Count |
LEADER Grant Amount |
Count |
LEADER Grant Amount |
|
2020 |
52 |
€3,173,980 |
97 |
€2,692,752 |
|
2021 |
23 |
€826,846 |
18 |
€596,357 |
|
2022 |
40 |
€1,691,867 |
60 |
€1,752,085 |
|
2023 |
7 |
€93,611 |
5 |
€128,351 |
|
2024 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
€65,523 |
|
Totals |
122 |
€5,786,303 |
183 |
€5,235,068 |
2051. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a community centre in County Kerry (details supplied) will be permitted to use savings made on a 2022 community centre investment grant to renovate their toilets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35354/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties.
In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further €20 million in funding to support our community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund 2024 will provide funding from €10,000 up to a maximum of €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres. This allocation brings the total amount of funding announced to support the development of community centres to over €95 million since 2022. This is an unprecedented level of investment in our community centres.
While the use of savings would not be a standard approach in such schemes, I understand that the group referred to by the Deputy are currently reviewing their final costs and will submit their proposal in the coming days. I have asked my officials to review this request as soon as the the exact details are known.
2052. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department will provide Kerry County Council with project returns and details of the local contribution received for a 2022 local improvement scheme amenity/community road in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35425/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports improving rural roads and laneways not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded in the future.
While my Department provides funding for the Scheme, local authorities administer the scheme and are solely responsible for selecting and prioritising road projects. Local authorities are also responsible for ensuring the local contribution is paid before any works commence.
The road referenced by the Deputy is an amenity road and one of a total of 23 roads completed under the LIS scheme in Kerry for 2022. As per the terms of the scheme, the local authority is responsible for paying the local contribution in respect of an amenity road. In the cases of amenity roads, a minimum requirement of 15% applies in respect of local contributions. Once works have been completed and in order to drawdown funding, local authorities are required to provide the Department with an updated list of roads completed within the calendar year, as well as expenditure details other information regarding the project. Local authorities are also required to maintain all financial records relating to a project for a period of at least 6 years after project completion. As such, Kerry County Council have confirmed to my officials that they have the records referred to on file.
2053. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total contribution made by her Department to the construction of the new library in Finglas village. [35441/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the delivery of the new public library for Finglas village, which opened in December 2023, was primarily a matter for Dublin City Council.
My Department previously supported library services in Finglas by providing funding of €27,500 annually to Dublin City Council as a contribution towards the cost of leasing the premises where the previous Finglas Library was located, on the first floor of the Finglas Village Centre.
One of the key strategic actions of the new Public Library Strategy, ‘The Library is the Place’, which was published in July 2023, is the development of a new Libraries Capital Programme. My Department announced a new Libraries Capital Programme on 24 April 2024 which will invest over €25million to support 11 state-of-the-art infrastructure projects and 12 next generation mobile library vehicles.
Dublin City Council did not apply for funding for the new library in Finglas village as works had already commenced on the project prior to the Call for Proposals being issued by my Department.
2054. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she expects to announce the 2024 community centres investment fund awards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35487/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. In April, I approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres across nine counties.
In June this year, I was delighted to announce a further €20 million in funding to support our community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas. The Community Centre Investment Fund 2024 will provide funding from €10,000 up to a maximum of €100,000 towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres.
The scheme closed for applications on Thursday 5th September. All of the applications are now being appraised and I hope to begin announcing the successful applicants in the coming months.
