Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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316. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason she announced on gov.ie that each men’s shed would receive a grant of €2,000, but is now stating that each men’s shed will receive a grant of up to €2,000; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6268/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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317. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason that the timeframe of 1 January to 31 December 2022 was placed as a criterion for qualification for the sustainability grant scheme for men’s sheds when the grant scheme was announced in November and sheds were only informed of the grant by the IMSA on 5 December via webinar; the reason that the timeframe was so short, resulting in men’s sheds not having an opportunity to carry out essential sustainability works or projects between 5 December and 31 December (details supplied); the reason the grant was offered retrospectively when most community funding grant schemes require full approval of any works prior to offering a grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6269/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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318. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development in situations in which some of the €800,000 grant funding has not been drawn down by individual men's sheds due to non-qualification according to the current criteria, if all moneys will be returned to her Department or if they will be held by the Irish Men’s Sheds Association; the amount of the €800,000 that remains unspent at this point; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6270/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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319. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a list of all the men’s sheds that received funding under the men's sheds sustainability grant; the level of funding received by each; and the number of men’s sheds that were unable to make an application due to the strict criteria and short timeframe. [6271/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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320. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to confirm if the criteria for the men’s shed sustainability grant were laid down by her Department or by the IMSA; if the criteria or guidelines were the result of negotiation with the IMSA; if consultation occurred with the IMSA in advance of the grant announcement; if the IMSA met with her or departmental officials to discuss this grant; if so, if a record of any such meeting is available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6272/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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321. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development with regard to the men’s shed sustainability grant, as the purpose of the grant was to support shed sustainability, the reason there was no requirement to prove a need for the funding in the criteria (details supplied); the reason that some sheds with real sustainability issues have been prohibited from claiming the entire grant, despite it being critical in order to maintain sustainability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6273/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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322. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason she states that the Irish Men’s Sheds Association is the representative organisation for individual men’s sheds when, according to the organisation’s own memorandum and articles of association, it is not a representative organisation; the reason she states that sheds are members of the IMSA when the IMSA articles of association state otherwise; if her attention was drawn to reports that the IMSA was not the representative body for men’s sheds and therefore had no consultation with the individual men’s sheds prior to any negotiation of the qualifying criteria; if she would agree that the men’s sheds are neither associate nor full members of the IMSA, in accordance with its articles of association; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6274/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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323. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason her Department has given funding to the IMSA to administer when it is not the representative body of men’s sheds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6275/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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324. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason the men’s sheds sustainability grant moneys were not administered by the LCDC as has been the case to date, when no change has occurred within the memorandum and articles of the IMSA to state that it is the men’s sheds’ representative body; if the IMSA is to be considered the official representative body of men’s sheds, the reason there have been no changes to its memorandum and articles of association since its registration with the Charities Regulator on 29 March 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6276/23]

Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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325. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will meet, at her earliest opportunity, a delegation of representatives from a number of individual men’s sheds who have concerns in respect of the manner in which the men’s sheds sustainability grant has been administered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6277/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 316 to 325, inclusive, together.

Last November, I was delighted to announce funding of €800,000 to support Men’s Sheds throughout the country. The initiative will see grants of up to €2,000 provided to over 400 registered Men’s Sheds nationwide, to assist them with running costs such as electricity or insurance bills.

The individual grants will be distributed to the over 400 Men’s Sheds via its representative body, the Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA). I would advise the Deputy to contact the IMSA for further details and with queries regarding the distribution of this fund.

Separately, Men's Sheds can also apply for funding to the Community Support Fund (CSF) that was announced last November under the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP). The €10m Community Support Fund was set up to help small community groups with their energy/running costs but will also provide funding for small capital works projects. Costs incurred in the period 1 April 2022 – 31 March 2023 are eligible under the fund.

The CSF is being administered by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) on behalf of my Department and interested Men’s Sheds should contact their local LCDC directly for further information.