Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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1. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to report on the community centres investment fund; who has received funding; what stage each project is at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20937/24]

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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Will the Minister report on the community centres investment fund, who has received funding and what stage each project is at, and will she make a statement on the matter?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The development and enhancement of community centres across the country has been a priority for the Government. This has been achieved through a range of my Department’s funding schemes, including the new community centre investment fund that I introduced two years ago. Under the 2022 fund, over €45.8 million has been committed for improvement and refurbishment works to more than 860 existing community centres. I am happy to confirm that approximately 600 of these projects are now complete or have submitted their final progress reports. These progress reports are currently being reviewed in advance of final payment. Project extensions have been provided for approximately 250 projects, with a small number of other extension requests currently being assessed. The majority of these extensions are to July. In a small number of cases where exceptional circumstances have arisen, extensions beyond this date are being considered. I believe this represents substantial progress under the fund and I know that the funding is being put to good use.

Following on from this investment, I wanted to assist community groups striving to build their own community centres to service local needs. In 2023, I announced a new round of the community centre investment fund to support communities with shovel-ready projects for the construction of new community centres. Last month, I was delighted to announce an investment of more than €30 million, which will deliver 12 new community centres nationwide. These are shovel-ready projects and I expect the tendering process to commence for each over the coming months. The details of all of these projects are available on my Department’s website.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome that 600 projects have been completed or are at completion stage. Previously, I raised with the Minister the matter of some centres that had encountered unexpected difficulties, so an opportunity for them to continue accessing the fund is important.

When the fund was originally proposed, applications amounted to approximately €70 million. While funding has already been allocated and is going through to projects well, other projects worth another €30 million or €40 million still need to be done. I am referring to the projects that did not get into this round. In the upcoming budgetary process, will there be a new round of funding?

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The short answer is "Yes", as I am considering another round of funding. This is an issue that the Deputy has raised with me several times. Sports capital grants are successful and popular and have been on the go for a long time, but we had no dedicated fund for community centres. During Covid, we saw how they did not have the same opportunities to raise money. Like a house, if you do not keep doing bits every year, it starts to fall into disrepair. It was important that we be able to provide some assistance. We all know the value of community centres.

I was in Hartstown in the Deputy’s constituency when I launched the fund for new community centres and I know the difference the fund has made there. I hope the work in Hartstown is well under way and I look forward to returning at some stage.

Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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It is under way. My wife is on the board now, so I am kept abreast of exactly what is happening in the centre. The board is brilliant and has done incredible work. The fund has been important to the centre.

I welcome that we are considering the fund’s future and that it will not just be a one-off. As the Minister said, we do not just do our houses up once and then leave them for 30 or 40 years. We continuously upgrade our houses and try to keep on top of the maintenance work. Many centres missed out on the last tranche of funding, so I will certainly be telling centres in my constituency to get their applications ready and the necessary work in place so that they know what they are doing. I hope that, in the next budgetary process, we get those projects included that were not included in the previous tranche of funding.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I was at Hartstown with the former Taoiseach, Deputy Varadkar, when I announced €30 million for 12 new community centres whose applications had been received. That was two weeks ago and I have managed to visit six of them already. I hope to see the other six. Those projects arose where there were new communities and increased populations and they needed community centres. I was delighted to be able to announce that funding.

There will be another round. I am considering having a round for existing community centres. In the meantime, there are other funding options available to communities under, for example, LEADER, CLÁR and the town and village renewal scheme. They should watch out for announcements about when those funds are open so that, if they need extra money, they can apply to them.

I wish to continue the community centres investment fund. It is a great fund that helps many people. Sometimes, the grants are small, but they make a significant difference and it is important to support communities. The community centre is at the heart of the community, so it is an important place.