John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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85. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there is a central set of criteria which apply under the local enhancement programme, given that the funding is decided at a local level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14607/25]

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I wish both the Minister and the Minister of State well in their new roles. I ask if there is a central set of criteria which apply under the local enhancement programme, given that the funding is decided at a local level, and if the Minister will make a statement on the matter.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I congratulate Deputy Clendennen on his election.

The local enhancement programme is targeted towards enhancing facilities in disadvantaged communities identified in local economic and community plans. The programme seeks to provide small grants to a wide and diverse range of local community groups, to assist with the purchase of equipment and improvements or repairs to their facilities. Deputy Clendennen, as a former chair of the LCDC in his county, and being centrally leading in the administration of the LEP in Offaly, will recognise that 113 projects and 13 women's organisation to the tune of €186,553 were approved last year in Offaly. I thank Deputy Clendennen for his work on that.

The funding is administered locally by local community development committees across the country, with support from their local authorities. As Minister of State with responsibility for community, along with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, we fully understand and recognise that community and voluntary organisations are at the heart of our country. We see it every day and we look at our Members across these Houses who advocate and support our community groups, and it is very important to what we do.

Since 2018, €65.9 million has been provided in funding for the programme, under various iterations, supporting over 23,000 community groups and organisations.

The 2025 local enhancement programme is a €7 million fund launched in November of last year. The funding consists of €6 million in capital supports and a further €1 million in current funding for community groups to assist with their energy and running costs. The funding can be used to support parish halls, community centres, local development associations, social clubs, senior citizens' groups, men's sheds, women's sheds and much more.

The local enhancement programme is designed to ensure that local priorities are identified and met. Given the local focus of the programme, the local community development committees are best placed to assess whether projects address local priorities and are targeted at addressing areas of disadvantage.

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Rialtas as an obair le deich mbliana anuas chun tacú le tuath na hÉireann. It is important to look at the last ten years and see the progress that has been made in rural Ireland, with the establishment of this very Department in providing a strategic plan, a focus and funding for every rural community. Through the Local Government Reform Act 2014, I have seen first-hand, through the establishment of the local community development committee and as a former chair, the difference it can make. However, none of this can be done without the support of volunteers, and it is important to recognise and acknowledge the work they do in every community right across Offaly and across the country. In Offaly today, the local community development committee will approve 213 grants under this scheme for 2025. It is a key support for successful groups, but there are some that did not qualify due to-----

Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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Thank you, Deputy.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an mhéid a dúirt sé mar gheall ar an Roinn.

My Department provides guidance to the local community development committees on the eligibility criteria. The guidelines require projects to be in keeping with the ethos of the programme. The Government is very much aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary groups and we are very much committed to supporting them. Both the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I will work with community development committees to ensure that they qualify but also that we support them because, as I said, they are at the core of what we do in our towns and villages and in our rural and urban areas and they play a critical role. We would be lost without them as a country.

John Clendennen (Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I ask that feedback might be taken from local authorities on the applications that were made and the sums that were sought versus what was actually allocated to see what shortfall there was, if any. It is important where good initiatives come forward that they get the full support of the Government and the State.

Second, there is a time element as regards the administration burden on local community groups. I ask that the Department give consideration to the establishment of a portal online that would allow the likes of community groups to upload all their credentials and documentation on the one occasion and that would be there as an ongoing record. I am conscious that some of these positions on local voluntary groups can be on a transient basis. A chair or a secretary could move on as well as the email address. We need to move to a position where we have generalised email addresses for committees. Also, if they have a portal identified, it ensures there is no breakdown. It also reduces the administration for local authority staff.

Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State highlighted in his reply the funding for community centres. They recently had a round of the community centre funds announced. I want to ask a question about that with regard to an appeal mechanism on that. I had a parish hall in Newtown Cashel, County Longford, that was unsuccessful due to an error in a letter of comfort as regards the length of time the hall was available. Will there be an appeals mechanism on unsuccessful applications, particularly, as I said, since community centres play such a vital role in all our communities throughout rural Ireland?

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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Pobal has, as the Deputy knows, independently assessed the community centre investment fund. Information will be given back to the community centres in question and I will talk to the Deputy further after that.

As regards Deputy Clendennen's point, the idea of the portal is a good idea. He is right that people move on and there is a lacuna then and a burden of administration placed on the voluntary effort. I will talk to Deputy Clendennen with the Minister, Deputy Calleary, about the suggestion of the online portal because it is good and deserves merit.