Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)

First of all, I am shocked to hear that girls and boys have to change their clothes out in the open. It is fairly archaic and dangerous.

The Government recognises the important role that community centres play in community life in Ireland, particularly in bringing people together and engaging with those who may be marginalised or disadvantaged. Over the past four years, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht has prioritised the development and enhancement of community centres across the country through a new dedicated funding stream for community centres.

The community centre investment fund, CCIF, was introduced to respond to the funding needs of community centres, in both rural and urban areas, so that we can support the provision of high-quality, accessible, community spaces. The CCIF has provided more than €109 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Under the first fund launched in 2022, over €45 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. This includes 78 projects in County Dublin with funding of over €4.6 million. I have been informed by the Minister, Deputy Calleary, that the majority of these projects are now complete and benefiting communities all over Ireland.

The latest iteration of the CCIF, in 2024, also supported the enhancement and refurbishment of community centres. Through that round of funding, over €33 million has been approved for more than 770 projects nationwide. This includes funding of up to €100,000 each for category 2 projects that my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, announced for 369 community centres last March. Again, there were over 60 successful projects in County Dublin, with funding of €2.6 million approved.

The scheme has also supported community groups that are striving to build their own community centres. The 2023 CCIF was opened specifically for applications for new community centres. The 2023 new-build scheme supported communities with shovel-ready projects on greenfield or brownfield sites for the construction of new community centres. A capital grant of between €1 million and €6 million was available to build multi-functional centres in areas that lacked community facilities. Through that iteration of the fund, the Department of the Minister, Deputy Calleary, approved funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres in nine counties.

Regarding community facilities in Kilmore, I understand that local authority officials are exploring potential arrangements in existing facilities to support the community there. This approach would allow support for community activity in the short term while preserving resources for a more sustainable and integrated solution in the future.

While the Government’s immediate priority is to facilitate the delivery of the 770 projects that have recently been announced, we are also committed to delivering further iterations of the scheme in the coming years. This is in line with the commitment in the programme for Government for this to become a permanent rolling fund. Over the coming months, further consideration will be given to what the next round of the CCIF will involve and the types of facilities that will be targeted. I am confident that the fund will continue to play a central role in supporting strong and resilient communities.

See this speech in context