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

In response to the previous question, I cannot give the Deputy an estimate on that. We run the programme every year, at the very least. I fully agree that women's sheds should have parity of esteem. I visited an excellent women's shed in Wexford recently. The sheds make a great contribution in giving people an opportunity to come together, which is particularly important in rural communities where such opportunities, especially during Covid, are limited. I fully agree with the Deputy's point on parity of esteem.

I urge him to make the group that contacted him aware that there is precedent in Galway for funding men's sheds. There are sheds in Loughrea, Headford, Moycullen and Cornamona. When the group approaches the local authority with regard to various funding streams, it would be wise to reference the fact that there is precedent there in terms of CEP funding for such projects.

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