Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I will come back to the Chair on that point.

Regarding Deputy Donnelly's point on funding for community centres, I reiterate that in January we provided Fingal County Council with €40,000 from the Dormant Accounts Fund to allow remedial work on Hartstown Community Centre and Huntstown Community Centre. Huntstown Community Centre also received €45,000 under the Covid-19 stability fund for community and voluntary, charity and social enterprises. The community enhancement programme is similar to the local improvement scheme in that it is not an enormous fund but there is huge need out there for it. Funding is allocated to local authorities, which each receive a certain amount. When that is divided up again, the amounts are smaller still. The local development companies within local authorities make decisions on the funding.

I take the Deputy's point on multi-annual funding. Coming from the community and voluntary sector myself, I know it is the golden ticket that enables organisations to plan. It does happen on some occasions. One of the main objectives of the five-year community and voluntary sector strategy I am overseeing is to facilitate more multi-annual funding for organisations across the community and voluntary sector. That is a big job. If we achieved some of it over the next few years, it would be a big win. The Deputy's point that community centres have major needs for upgrading, structural works, etc., is well made. We will continue to look at options, but the community enhancement programme is the most obvious one.