Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Community centres are the cornerstone of community life in many towns, villages and urban areas around the country. This Government recognises the important role they play in community life in Ireland, bringing people together and engaging with those who may be marginalised or disadvantaged.

With this in mind, my Department has put in place an integrated programme of supports for the establishment and development of community centres across schemes such as CLÁR, LEADER, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, and of course the new Community Centres Investment Fund.

The 2022 Community Centres Investment Fund was warmly welcomed and over €45.8 million has been committed to the improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres across Ireland.

Following on from this, I wanted to assist community groups striving to build their own community centre to service local needs. I introduced a new iteration of the Community Centres Investment Fund with funding of €20 million to support communities with ‘shovel-ready' projects on green or brownfield sites. This targets areas which do not have an appropriate facility to meet the needs of their area. The deadline for receipt of applications has now passed and the assessment process is ongoing.

I can confirm that Carlow County Council have submitted an application in relation to Tullow Road Community Hub, with over €4.1 million being sought from the fund. All applications are currently being assessed by my Department and it is expected that successful projects will be announced in the coming months.