Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

264. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if funding is available for a community group (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49335/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department provides a range of supports to communities nationwide, helping people to participate in the development of their communities and providing funding to improve community facilities. 

For example, my Department funds the Community Enhancement Programme which provided capital grants to the total value of €4.5m in 2019. These grants can contribute towards the renovation of community infrastructure such as that outlined.

While the 2019 programme is closed, it will be open again in 2020.  It will then be advertised in each Local Authority area by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) who administer the grant on behalf of this Department.

Separately, projects of this nature may also be eligible for LEADER funding.

All potential applicants for LEADER funding must submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) prior to any project application for financial support. In order to determine eligibility to application stage, an appraisal is carried out on the EOI to ascertain if the proposed project is eligible for LEADER funding.

The proposed project must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved Local Development Strategy for the relevant LEADER sub regional area, and it must comply with the Operating Rules and EU Regulations in place for the programme.

The decision to approve a project, or otherwise, is a matter for the Local Action Group (LAG) which administers the programme in each LEADER area. The community group should, in the first instance, contact the relevant LAG to discuss the eligibility of the proposed project.

The Local Action Group for the area of Kerry referred to is South Kerry Development Partnership CLG.

Contact details for South Kerry Development Partnership CLG are as follows: - Telephone: (066) 9472724; - E-mail: info@skdp.net.