Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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My Department does not operate a dedicated fund for first responder groups and there are currently no plans to introduce a specific capital fund dedicated to this purpose.

However, some of my Department's programmes fund the purchase of capital equipment such as through the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP). This programme provides small grants to community groups to enhance facilities in disadvantaged areas.

The 2022 Community Support Fund (CSF) under the Community Enhancement Programme was launched in November 2022, with funding of €10 million to assist thousands of community groups across the country. The funding is administered on behalf of my Department locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority.

The fund covered the purchase of equipment (such as defibrillators). The Community Support Fund is now closed to applicants and details of successful projects will be published on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd, in the coming weeks. It is hoped to run another CEP later in 2023, however, details of this programme are not yet confirmed.

The LEADER Programme is also a source of funding for rural areas and the purchase of community defibrillators may be eligible for LEADER funding. Groups should contact their Local Action Group to determine eligibility.