Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development how her Department is engaging with local communities to encourage awareness and applications to the community recognition fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8977/23]

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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62. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the roll-out of the community recognition fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8490/23]

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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My question is about the new community recognition fund that was announced and which I very much welcome. Can the Minister give some more information on how she plans to build awareness of that scheme and how it will work in conjunction with local authorities?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 62 together.

I thank Deputy Kerrane for raising this matter. On 24 January I launched the €50 million community recognition fund which aims to support the development of community infrastructure and facilities in recognition of the contribution being made by communities across the country in welcoming and hosting significant numbers of arrivals from Ukraine and other countries. This funding is specifically targeted at projects that are located in communities, towns and villages that are hosting the beneficiaries of temporary protection and-or international protection applicants. The fund aims to support the development of facilities that will be used in the future by all members of the community.

It is separate in its objectives and scope from any other public funding streams which aim to support the development of public service needs arising from the significant number of arrivals from Ukraine.

The funding will be drawn down over 2023 and 2024, and projects will be delivered in the main by local authorities in conjunction with community organisations. The fund is being administered at a local level by local authorities which are developing funding proposals. Each funding proposal is developed based on direct engagement with impacted communities and in consultation with the municipal districts, local community development committees and the local community response fora. Proposals should also be consistent with the local economic and community plans. It is essential the funding is targeted at and specifically invested in those communities, villages and towns where the highest levels of new arrivals are located and where there is a clear need for investment identified. The types of projects eligible for funding include community or cultural facilities, including play areas, walkways, parks, community gardens, allotments and recreational areas; local club and sports facilities; enhancement of openly accessible school and parish facilities; equipment for local clubs, festivals, community events and organisations; and the purchase and refurbishment of buildings or land for the development of community facilities.

Funding proposals are to be submitted to my Department by mid-March. This allows seven weeks for local authorities to engage directly with the impacted communities and to develop quality proposals. I must again reiterate that my Department has made it clear to all local authorities that proposals which do not display adequate levels of community engagement and appropriate targeting of support will not be approved. In addition, my Department is also providing supports to impacted communities through the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, and the volunteer centres. I encourage communities to engage directly with their local authorities to identify the needs in their area and to ensure high-quality projects are delivered which will benefit their communities, villages and towns for years to come.

This is an opportunity for communities to identify projects they have long considered and long thought about. This is their chance to work with the local authority, engage with it and submit an application. I thank the Deputy for raising this. The fact we are raising it here today is creating the awareness that this fund is in place and we want it spent. There is €50 million in it. It is a big fund. We want the applications.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome this scheme and this fund for communities. However, I also believe there is a role for the Department to play given that, not primarily but in many cases, it is rural communities that are welcoming refugees and international protection families and individuals. We just spoke about communities needing to heard and their voices needing to be listened to, but that includes practical supports. There is a role for the Department when it comes to delivering those practical supports. They have to be for the benefit of all members of the community, both those already living in towns and villages where refugees are coming in and for the refugees. From my point of view, there does not appear to be any co-operation across Departments when it comes to supporting these communities at a practical level, particularly when it comes to healthcare. I would make the point that there is a role for the Department to play, with other Departments, to ensure practical supports such as healthcare and additional supports for education in local schools are delivered as well as this fund. This fund is only for communities and clubs, and while it is welcome, it is not enough for communities that are taking in refugees.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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This is a €50 million fund. It is separate in its objectives and scope from any other public funding streams which aim to support the development of public service needs arising from the significant number of arrivals from Ukraine. The funding is specifically targeted at projects located in communities, towns and villages that are hosting the beneficiaries of temporary protection or international protection applicants, or both, including towns identified for the rapid-build homes programme. It is set to benefit the entire community in recognition of the support the people have shown to people from Ukraine and other countries who have come into their communities. There must be direct engagement with impacted communities, first and foremost, and local authorities must also consult the municipal districts, the local community development committees, the local community response forums and all the different stakeholders. I know the local community development committees will also be talking to the schools because we believe there is a role for the schools. Deputy Stanton brought up in the House on other occasions how schools, in particular their facilities, could be used after school hours. It may be that we can develop a system or a way in which to use those fine facilities in our schools that we have invested in when they are not being used when the school is closed. Perhaps we can look at the barriers in that regard and overcome them. They should be for everybody to use. They will also engage with the HSE. There will be opportunity for engagement across the different Departments.

Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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More or less every local authority in the State will be involved in this. Is there a point person within each local authority who will oversee all of this?

I have to take the opportunity to raise the prime example of Ballaghaderreen in my constituency, which I have raised with the Minister before, which has been welcoming hundreds of refugees since 2017 in the emergency reception and orientation centre, EROC, in the town, with zero supports. I cannot understand why the Government is creating a situation where refugees and international protection families are located in Ballaghaderreen which is the most economically poor town in all of County Roscommon. It now has 400 refugees out of a population of 1,800 people in the town. It is not being supported. The Government is creating frustrations in a town which are totally avoidable if supports such as healthcare are put into place. A healthcare professional was promised in 2017. It never happened. Both the GPs in the town are under incredible pressure. We are seeing nothing on the ground. The Government needs to look at towns such as Ballaghaderreen which need to be supported. I will keep raising this issue until we see those additional resources. Since 2017, which is not yesterday or last year and is along time ago really, nothing has been delivered.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Kerrane. The chairs of the community response forums will be the liaison persons and the point of contact for communities that want to engage. I encourage them to engage with the local councillors as well because they will be aware of this funding that has come into the county. In regard to Roscommon County Council, under this specific fund, it has been allocated €689,057, so it will be able to do some good work with that allocation of funding. Some counties have received a great deal more. Donegal has been allocated €3.1 million because of the number of Ukrainian refugees who have been housed there as well as international protection applicants.

We have tried to focus this funding on the areas where the most people have been located. I have been down to County Clare, for example, where a great deal of good work has been done. Clare County Council has been allocated €2.9 million. The Acting Chairman, Deputy Carey, will be well aware of this. A high level of funding has been made available for good projects in those towns and villages. I was in Lisdoonvarna, where the local community groups have worked extremely hard in welcoming and facilitating Ukrainians. It is right and proper that we support them now in enhancing other facilities they have, for their own use and for the use of the wider community in those areas.

I take on board the points made by the Deputy. I will certainly raise them with the Department, in particular healthcare.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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I support the concept, as I did in my earlier question. There is a benefit for everybody in the existing community, where in many cases there have been deficiencies for several years by virtue of emigration, a declining population and so forth. There is now an opportunity to address those issues for the benefit of refugees and the existing community to make it an attractive place for local people and the incoming population. There is an obvious economic as well as social benefit.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy. He is dead right. This is a good example of how we can have real and meaningful community engagement that delivers for people. Deputy Kerrane mentioned Ballaghaderreen. The local development company is providing support to the direct provision centre there. In fairness, these local development companies have done good work throughout the country. In my constituency, the local development company has engaged in Cavan in particular. There is a good example there of how Syrians integrated when they came into the area. Work is happening there and we have supported it.

As the Deputy said, we now have a real chance to have proper engagement. The number one priority when I announced the fund, along with the instruction to local authorities, was engagement. If they cannot show they have engaged with local communities, they will not get the funding. It is as simple as that. This is not for some long-awaited project that a local authority had in mind; it is about communities.

The system needs to be streamlined through the local authorities because, at the end of the day, we have to be strategic. They deal with the bigger picture and see what is going on. We do not want duplication or for taxpayers' money to be wasted. It is important they play a role in this. The one message I want to get out today is that communities need to get their voices heard, contact their local authorities and councillors and speak to their local representatives.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Question No. 15 was already dealt with as a priority question, in effect. It is the same question as the priority question. I am not sure why it was left in. May I take Question No. 18 instead?