Written answers
Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Department of Rural and Community Development
Rural Schemes
Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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1891. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there has been any analysis undertaken of the cluster housing pilot scheme in Kilsheelan, County Tipperary; if there are other cluster housing pilot schemes planned in the coming years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1149/23]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The "Revitalisation of a Rural Village: A Model for Cluster Housing" project located in Kilsheelan, Co Tipperary was approved for funding of €603,750 from the third call for Category 1 applications under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. The lead party for the project is Tipperary County Council.
The project will provide serviced housing sites in Kilsheelan Village, which will be then made available for sale to the public to design and build their houses. The project will also develop a new public park in the village and a new arrival point for the River Suir Blueway.
I am informed by my officials that the detailed design stage for the project has been completed and Tipperary County Council is expected to advertise the construction tender in Q1 2023. The project is currently expected to be completed in Q4 2023.
Projects approved for funding under the fund are required to complete an evaluation once sufficient time has elapsed for the benefits and outcomes to be determined. This would not be until after the project has been completed. To date there have been no other similar cluster housing projects approved under the fund.
Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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1892. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the next round of Pobal community centres investment fund grants will be open; and if it will be open to non-community centres, specifically GAA clubs. [63183/22]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and I was delighted to secure a further €20 million in funding under Budget 2023 to continue the Community Centres Investment Fund.
This builds on the funding approved under the fund in 2022. The huge interest in this fund shows how important community centres are for communities throughout Ireland. This Government is committed to providing funding to improve and upgrade these centres which will allow them to continue to provide services for communities to come together.
It is intended that the 2023 fund will be targeted primarily at new build community centres. GAA clubs were eligible to apply to the 2022 fund so long as they satisfied the criteria outlined in the fund guidelines. The detail of the 2023 scheme is currently being developed by officials within my Department, and I would expect that the eligibility criteria would be similar to that of the 2022 fund. It is my intention to announce the details of the 2023 fund in quarter 1.
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