Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 81, 83, 98 and 103 together.

Community Centres are the cornerstone of community life in towns and villages around the country. This Government recognises the important role that these centres play in bringing people together and facilitating community services and events.

As the Deputies are no doubt aware, the development and enhancement of Community Centres across the country has been prioritised in recent years to ensure that they are fit for purpose and that they can continue to be the hubs of our communities.

With this in mind, an extensive range of funding streams has been developed that are available to support communities and community facilities. This integrated programme of supports for the development and refurbishment of community centres is spread across schemes such as CLÁR , LEADER, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and, of course, the Community Centres Investment Fund.

Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund in particular, almost €46 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres across Ireland. There was a huge uptake of this funding and over 860 different projects are being delivered in centres the length and breadth of the country.

I am happy to confirm that the Deputies’ counties were well represented in the 2022 scheme:

• 24 of these projects totalling over €1.3 million are based in Cavan;
• 39 projects totalling over €1.4 million are in Monaghan;
• 25 projects totalling over €1.1 million are in Sligo;
• 22 projects totalling over €0.8 million are based in Leitrim;
• 61 projects totalling over €4.2 million are in Galway;
• 32 projects totalling over €1.9 million are in Kerry; and
• Last but not least, there are 96 projects in Cork totalling over €4.7 million.

I am sure the Deputies will have seen many examples in their counties of where this funding is making a difference, and are witnessing first-hand the contribution that our community centres are making in our communities.

Following on from this first ever round of investment under this new Fund, it was decided to next focus on assisting community groups who are striving to build their own community centre to service their local needs. That is why, in 2023, the focus of the Community Centres Investment Fund moved to new builds.

Last year, a new iteration of the Fund was announced to support communities with ‘shovel-ready’ projects on green or brownfield sites for the construction of new community centres. This Fund targeted areas without an appropriate facility to meet their community’s needs.

The scheme for new builds was open to applicants in both urban and rural communities. The minimum grant available was €1 million with the maximum was €6 million.

Earlier this year, funding of €30 million for the construction of 12 new community centres covering nine counties was approved.

Deputy Smyth will know that Rockcorry Community Centre in Co Monaghan was successful in their application to the new builds scheme, with over €4.6 million being approved under the fund.

I know Deputy Feighan has been supportive of the two successful projects under this fund in County Sligo. Ballymote Community Centre was approved over €2.6 million and Kilglass Community Centre had over €1.1 million approved under the fund.

County Galway had two successful projects under this fund. Áras Lae, Maigh Cuilinn have been approved €6 million in grant aid and Newcastle Community Centre in Galway City was approved for over €4.3 million in respect of their application.

County Cork was also successful under this fund with Rylane Community Centre being approve over €1.5 million under CCIF 2023 in respect of their application.

I am looking forward to seeing these fabulous buildings being completed.

In June this year, another round of supports for community groups to upgrade and refurbish the community facilities in their areas was launched. The Community Centre Investment Fund 2024 will provide funding towards capital costs for the refurbishment of existing community centres.

This new round of funding will bring the total amount of funding announced through the Community Centre Investment Fund to over €95 million since 2022. This is an unprecedented level of investment in our community centres.

Funding of up to €25,000 is available under Category 1 of the 2024 scheme and funding of up to 100,000 is available under Category 2. The funding can be used for a range of different investments from essential maintenance work to new kitchen facilities or energy upgrades. A series of information sessions and capacity building events were held over the summer months to help support applicants and to give every community group the opportunity to apply.

I believe this support has been well received and indeed the level of applications we have received reflects that also. The window for applying for the scheme closed in early September, and 1,060 applications were submitted.

In relation to the particular counties represented by the Deputies;

• 23 applications have been submitted in Cavan
• 36 applications have been submitted in Monaghan
• 32 applications have been submitted in Sligo
• 23 applications have been submitted in Leitrim
• 131 applications have been submitted in Cork
• 51 applications have been submitted in Kerry, and
• 64 applications have been submitted in Galway

All these applications were forwarded to the Department for consideration and are currently being assessed alongside all of the other applications from across the country.

It is expected that the announcement the successful projects will commence before the end of the year, with Category 1 applications being scheduled for announcement in advance of Category 2 applications.

I am confident that this new investment will build on the record levels of funding in recent years, and that we can continue to support the vital role that our community centres play across the country.