Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of funding provided in 2018 to men's sheds; his plans to provide such funding to same in 2019 and in future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51672/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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My Department has provided a range of supports for Men’s Sheds in 2018.

This year I announced a special Men’s Shed Fund under the Community Enhancement Programme. This provided €0.5 million for Men’s Sheds groups to carry out minor capital works or to purchase equipment.

Men's Sheds groups were also eligible to apply for funding under the main Community Enhancement Programme, under which €8.5 million of funding was available in 2018. The final amount provided to Mens's Sheds groups under the main programme is not yet available as the decision making process is ongoing. This Community Enhancement Programme will be open to applications again in 2019.

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) provided 22 grants totalling €17,650 to Men’s Sheds groups to date in 2018. This type of support will continue throughout the current iteration of SICAP which runs until 2022.

In 2018, under the LEADER 2014-2020 Programme, ten Men's Sheds projects were approved to the value of €670,685. This funding stream will continue past 2019.