Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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711. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a scheme similar to the urban regeneration and development fund will be applicable to rural regeneration and development fund towns of less than 10,000 population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9469/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) provides investment to develop and deliver large scale capital projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas. The RRDF and the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund were both established under Project Ireland 2040.

Calls for applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place, and which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for Category 1 applications.

The RRDF is open for applications from State funded bodies including local authorities, Local Development Companies, government departments and State agencies.

To date, 215 projects have been approved for funding of €395 million for projects costing €542 million.

The timing of future calls for applications to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund is under consideration and will be announced in due course.

Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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712. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will clarify issues with regard to the €2,000 payment to an organisation (details supplied); and in particular whether, if branches do not manage to claim the payment, the excess funding will be distributed among other branches. [9873/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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). The deadline for Men’s Sheds to submit applications to the IMSA has been extended and 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.

The Community Support Fund is being administered by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) on behalf of my Department and interested Men’s Sheds should contact their local authority's LCDC for details of this fund.