Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

653. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide an update on the number of applications that have been received per county under the 2023 Community Centres Investment Fund - New Builds Measure; if there will be a new call for this scheme in 2024; and when will the assessment process for 2023 be completed and the awardees announced. [7436/24]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Last year, I announced a €20 million fund to support communities with ‘shovel-ready’ projects on green or brownfield sites for the construction of new community centres. These shovel ready projects have all necessary planning and consents secured so they are already at an advanced stage and ready to commence following a tender process.

This Community Centres Investment Fund (CCIF) targets areas without an appropriate facility to meet their community’s needs.The minimum grant available was €1 million with the maximum being €6 million. In total, twenty-two applications for new build community centres were received by my Department. The table below lists the number of applications for each county.

The assessment of these applications is almost complete and I expect to announce the successful projects shortly. A decision in respect of any further iteration of the Community Centres Investment Fund will not be made until after the announcement of the successful projects under the current round of funding.

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Community Recognition Fund recognises the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Funding of €50 million for some 900 projects is supporting towns and villages nationwide that have welcomed people from Ukraine and other countries.

The Fund aims to support the development of facilities that will be used in the future by all members of the community. It is important to note that this is separate from other public funding streams which aim to address public service needs arising from the significant number of new arrivals into Ireland.

Through this initiative, communities are being assisted to develop projects such as large-scale multipurpose sports facilities, walkways, cycle paths, playgrounds, equipment for sports clubs and community festivals.

A key priority for me now is to ensure that the range of projects approved across the country are delivered in a timely manner.

I have also been discussing the implementation of the Community Recognition Fund with Government colleagues, including the potential to introduce a second iteration of the scheme to further assist impacted communities. I have asked my officials to advance this work with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and, subject to the outcome of that process, I expect to make an announcement shortly.