Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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1389. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he can provide any assurances that men's and women's sheds will not be impacted by the change away from the sustainability grant towards local enhancement programmes being managed by local authorities; if consideration was given to the fact that men's and women's sheds will now have to compete with other groups for funding prior to this change being made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2203/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a range of supports which are available to both Men's Sheds and Women’s Sheds.

The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 was announced in November 2024, with funding of €7 million to assist thousands of community groups across the country. Under the LEP, Men's and Women’s Sheds are eligible to apply directly to their Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) for funding under both capital and current funding streams. This will allow Men's and Women’s Sheds to apply for running costs as well as small capital works for the purchase of equipment for their facilities.

The LEP is administered on behalf of my Department locally by LCDCs across the country, with support from their local authority. I would encourage all Men's and Women’s Sheds to engage with their LCDC directly for details on how to apply for this funding.

Separately, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) also provides supports to Men's and Women’s Sheds. To date, approximately 50 Men’s sheds received €58,825 and 13 Women’s sheds received €9,287 in SICAP 2024 – 2028 supports. This support is still available through SICAP.

The Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national, community and voluntary organisations. The current iteration commenced on 1 July 2022 for a three year period. The scheme has been extended for a further 6 months from 30 June 2025 onwards to facilitate a review of the SSNO. The Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA) has been allocated total funding of €283,684 over the three-years and 6 month period of the scheme.

Also, funding under the LEADER programme is not targeted at any particular group or sector in rural communities. It is, rather, focused on a thematic approach to rural development. The budget for the LEADER programme is allocated for the duration of the programme rather than on an annual basis to allow more flexibility to the LAG in the allocation of funding.

Organisations, such as Men’s and Women’s Sheds, may be eligible for LEADER funding but in the first instance contact should be made with the local implementing partner. Contact details for the Implementing Partners are available on my Departments website at:

My officials reached out to the Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA) late last year with regard to funding and they advised that they were not in a position to submit a proposal for distribution of grants at that time, but that they would be in contact with my Department in 2025.

I am very aware of the growing interest in Women's Sheds and would urge them to work together with the goal of organising an overall group, similar to the Irish Men's Shed Association (IMSA). As Women’s Sheds do not currently operate under an overall organisation, my Department is unable to provide funding similar to that previously provided to Men’s Sheds via the IMSA. However, my Department has ring-fenced funding under various iterations of the LEP to help Women’s Sheds.

I would encourage all Men’s and Women’s Sheds to check my department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd, and to engage with their LCDCs, Local Development Companies and Public Participation Networks (PPN), to ensure they are aware of funding opportunities as they become available.