Pádraig Rice (Cork South-Central, Social Democrats)
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737. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to explain further the Government’s plans in respect of the Programme for Government commitment to “renew the focus and the purpose of the community recognition fund”; if this process will include a consultation process with key stakeholders such as community groups involved in local integration initiatives; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4373/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Through the 2023 allocation, funding of €50 million was approved for some 900 projects. A further €50 million in funding under the Community Recognition Fund was announced last year. This second iteration of the CRF is being delivered over three tranches so as allow flexibility at a local level to respond to new emerging priorities and to underpin the focus of investment on local needs.

The three tranches allow additional time for local authorities to consult and engage with key stakeholder groups to identify and deliver projects, including working with community groups involved in local integration initiatives. This will continue to be a cornerstone of the scheme as the projects are rolled out across the country to ensure that they meet the needs of local communities.

Last August €16.5 million was approved to deliver 185 community projects across the country under the first tranche. My Department, working closely with the local authorities, is now finalising the assessment of applications under the second tranche and I expect to announce the successful projects in the coming weeks. The closing date for the final tranche has been extended until 28th February 2025 to allow additional time for the development of projects across the country.

I look forward to approving over €30 million of projects under the CRF over the coming months and my Department will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that projects are fit for purpose and respond to emerging needs.

More widely, my Department will also be engaging over the coming months with stakeholders as part of the consultation process for a successor rural development policy to Our Rural Future. The design of the new policy will seek, inter alia, to build on the success of 'Our Rural Future', and to ensure that all of our funding programmes align with identified needs and priorities.