Paul Donnelly (Dublin West, Sinn Fein)
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284. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the new €9 million fund to support community groups impacted by Covid-19 announced on 11 November 2021 is separate to the funds already committed to by her Department. [56201/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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The new €9m Community Activities Fund has been put in place to support community groups impacted by Covid-19.

Previously, the Department delivered a COVID-19 Stability Fund to assist community and voluntary groups during the COVID-19 crisis and that fund was mainly targeted at larger community and voluntary organisations. Funding of €5.5m is now being redirected from the COVID-19 Stability Fund 2021 so that it may be usedto assist smaller groups and organisations in a similar manner through this new Community Activities Fund.

In addition, a further €3.5m of funding, from savings arising elsewhere in the Department's budget, is also being redirected into theCommunity Activities Fund. This brings the total for this new fund to €9m.

The efforts of local community groups and volunteers throughout the pandemic has been immense and this funding will help to provide practical support to smaller community groups and facilities at a grassroots level across the country. I hope that this will continue to help foster and grow the community spirit that is so evident across Ireland and highlight the excellent work that community groups do.