Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a number of supports, which can be accessed by Men's Sheds. These supports include -

• The €7 million Local Enhancement Programme 2025 which allowed Men's Sheds to apply for running costs as well as small capital works for their facilities.
• The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme 2024 - 2028, which also provides supports to Men's Sheds.
• The LEADER programme, where funding is not targeted at any particular group or sector in rural communities but focused on a thematic approach to rural development.
• Ring-fenced funding of €800,000 (2022) and €1,000,000 (2023) was provided to the Irish Men’s Shed Association to support Men’s Sheds - these funds were distributed by the Irish Men's Sheds Association (IMSA) to its members.

My Department also provides funding directly to the IMSA under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). The IMSA has been allocated total funding of €283,684 over the three-years and 6 month period of the scheme to the end of 2025. The purpose of this funding is to support two staff roles: National Support Volunteer Programme Coordinator and Communications Officer.

In addition to these supports, a number of other funds administered by DRCD including CLÁR, the Community Centres Investment Fund (CCIF) and the Community Recognition Fund (CRF) provide funding to all Community and Voluntary groups including Men’s Sheds. Details of all projects funded though my Department can be located on the website, www.gov.ie/drcd.

The table below provides details of funding provided directly to Men’s Sheds in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025.

Details of Men’s Sheds funding under LEP 2025 are not yet available but will be announced in early May and will also be available on my Department's website at that point. It should be noted that I will meet with the IMSA in the coming weeks to discuss issues arising.

Men's Shed Funding
Year	Fund/Programme	No. of Sheds funded	Amount of funding
2023	Community Support Fund (2022)	103	€198,371.04
Irish Mens Shed Association - Allocation 22/23	347	€800,000.00
SICAP	46	€46,660.00
SSNO	IMSA	€81,052.66
2024	Local Enhancement Programme (2024)	72	€111,140.31
Irish Mens Shed Association - Allocation 23/24	378	€1,000,000.00
SICAP	48	€55,455.00*
SSNO	IMSA	€81,052.66
2025 (to date)	SICAP	2	€3,500.00
SSNO	IMSA	€81,052.66
Total			€2,352,669.33

*Financial data for 2024 is provisional until the accounts are finalised.