Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Community centres are cornerstones of community life in many towns, villages and urban areas. They bring people together in safe spaces for social, educational and other purposes. I acknowledge that it is very important that community facilities be safe for the groups and individuals that use them. Where upgrades to community centres are needed, whether for fire safety or other reasons, a range of funding sources across Departments and agencies can be availed of. On the funding provided by my Department, rural community centres can benefit from the town and village renewal scheme and LEADER programme funding. The community enhancement programme can also contribute small capital grants for facilities in both rural and urban areas. Given the constraints on my Department's Vote, it is not possible to open a new line of national funding for community centres in need of fire safety works. However, I am examining the possibility of setting aside a modest fund to assist in a limited number of particularly critical cases. I stress that where a community centre is in the ownership of a local authority, it is that authority's responsibility to identify and resolve any issue. Where ownership rests with other parties, I urge the communities involved to contact their local authority when issues are identified to explore and discuss the options available.

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