Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I would be supportive of anything that is good for community. It does not matter what religion, colour or creed - I want to support communities like that.

There is a scheme I urge the Deputy to investigate himself and to talk to Dublin City Council about. It is a new €2 billion urban regeneration fund that will be opening some time in June. The Deputy might look at making an application with the city council under that fund. These are the kind of projects that should be supported. Maybe the county council and other State agencies would assist the Deputy and the community to make an application. Applications will be open in June, announcements will be made in November and there will be a second round next year. This and all the existing schemes are there to support communities.

Deputy Ó Cuív had a question about the communities programme. We provide funding for staff and managers to support them. The social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, and all the other schemes are there. I urge the Deputy to look at that urban regeneration scheme. I want to see areas of disadvantage getting an opportunity to draw some funding out of this as well. It does not always have to be where we want to create jobs. We also have to create a society and give people an opportunity.

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