David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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90. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the options that are available to communities that wish to apply for the community centres investment fund, CCIF, but do not currently have community centre facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45150/22]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate the Minister and her Department on the introduction of the community centres investment fund, which was inspired. Community centres are the centre of communities and a place where young people, and not so young people, can gather to do community activities that are badly needed. From my previous role in the Department of Justice and Equality dealing with youth justice, I know how important these centres are, but many communities do not have one. What plans does the Minister have to assist those communities to get a centre?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My Department currently provides a number of funding streams that can be used for the improvement and development of community centres throughout the country. Under the 2022 town and village renewal scheme, where there is a clearly identified and defined need in a town or village that cannot be met by an existing premises, I have included a provision for funding for new-build community centres. The deadline for applications under the scheme was 22 July 2022 and I expect to be in a position to announce successful applicants later this year.

Funding for community centre projects may be available through the LEADER transitional programme. This covers the period 2021 to 2022 and came into effect on 1 April 2021 for new project applications. The LEADER programme is administered by local action groups, LAGs, in each of the 29 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country.

The CCIF is a new capital fund with a budget of €15 million to support community groups with the upgrade and refurbishment of existing community centres. It should be noted that the development of new community centres is not covered by the fund. It deals with existing centres.

Separately, my Department currently has a number of schemes that are relevant to community centres, such as the community enhancement programme, CEP. In 2021, the programme provided €4.5 million in funding for small capital grants for the improvement of facilities. It is envisaged that the CEP will run again later in 2022. However, details of the fund and the allocations available have not yet been confirmed.

I also launched the community activities fund, CAF, last year to support community and voluntary groups impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. This fund helped community groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their running costs, such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities. The CAF is currently closed for applications. However, I will keep a future iteration under consideration.

I am looking at a new scheme for new centres, on which I will elaborate further presently.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her comprehensive response and the information she gave. Can she tell us when successful applications under the CCIF will be announced and made available? Many people around the country are waiting for them and I note that a number of colleagues have tabled questions in this regard. Does she agree that in many communities that do not have a centre, people find it hard to organise themselves to get together, in a situation where there is a lot of responsibility put on communities? Will she consider supporting community councils in parishes and areas around the country that are trying to establish, or have already established, forums for organising? As she knows, applying for funding is not easy and there are lots of boxes to be ticked. Sometimes, people even have to establish a community group as a public limited company and get charitable status. There is much to do in order to get things done.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There are many community centres around the country, which is why we opened this scheme to refurbish existing facilities. There is no doubt that some of them need a good bit of work. During the Covid period, they were not able to fundraise and carry out the type of annual work they do. We now have this fund in place and it is very popular. We got more than 1,000 applications, which, when one adds them all up, amount to a funding request of €72 million. That is a large amount. There is a lot of interest in it and I am delighted with that because it shows there is a need for the scheme. The money is going where it will be used and spent.

I am aware that there are areas that have had population growth and where a new community centre is badly needed. I am looking at a scheme for new centres. Deputies Grealish and Ó Cuív, Senator Kyne and the other Galway representatives, including Deputy Connolly, met with me to raise this issue very forcefully. There is one project in Galway that is shovel ready. I am looking at a scheme for new centres, which is all I can say to Deputy Stanton. Any support he can give me in getting a new stream of funding for new community centres would be most welcome.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her response. A total funding request of €72 million from a fund provision of €15 million is a big discrepancy. We can see there is a large need for this and that great work is being done through the scheme. Will she respond to my question as to when the results of the CCIF applications will be made known? There are a lot of people who are anxious to know. I congratulate her on the work she is doing. I am sure she will have everyone's support in looking for extra funding for new community centres, especially in new towns and built-up areas that need them badly, particularly in the context of youth justice.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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I acknowledge that the Minister is looking at a scheme for new community centres, which is the big gap in provision, not just in new towns and rural towns but also in cities. The Newcastle action group in Galway has fought for a centre for a long time, as all Members for the area know. It has fallen between two stools, having been led in one direction via urban regeneration funding. It lost out on that, notwithstanding its brilliant application. This group is a good example of the gap in funding that needs to be met. I hope the Minister will comment more on the new fund and when she hopes to bring it to fruition.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I still have to announce the successful applications under the CCIF. The applications are being assessed and there is a lot of work in it. We are going to do it in three phases, with the smaller applications first, the results of which I hope to announce in October. That is the plan. They are all being processed and assessed independently and we hope to have the first announcements in October.

I am working on a new fund for new centres. I take Deputy Connolly's point about the particular situation in Galway, which has been raised with me on a number of occasions. All I can say at the moment is that we certainly are looking at what we can do around a new scheme. The Deputies will appreciate that we have to find €72 million for the existing applications. I will do my best and I ask them all to support me when I look for more money.