Naoise Ó Muirí (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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396. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when successful applicants for grants administered through the local community development committee as part of the local enhancement programme will be notified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31058/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 was launched last November with €7 million available to assist thousands of community groups across the country by providing capital and current supports. The LEP is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible supports where they are needed most.

The LEP is administered locally on behalf of my Department by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their local authority. The relevant LCDC is allocated funding each year, they then receive and appraise applications, making determinations on how the funding can best support their communities.

The Local Enhancement Programme closed to applicants in March and Department officials have recently completed assessing details of the LCDC approved lists. Successful projects will be announced later this week and published on the Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcdg.

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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397. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the proof that is required by successful applicants under the Community Recognition Fund that they have fulfilled the criteria of greater integration of new communities; if this is assessed by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31142/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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On June 5th, I announced the latest round of funding of over €17 million for the delivery of 212 projects under the Community Recognition Fund covering all 31 local authority areas. That announcement brought the total number of projects that have been awarded funding under the fund to over 1,450 in just over two years. A significant number of projects approved under the Community Recognition Fund are now complete and communities are enjoying the benefits that this funding has delivered.

It was a requirement of the fund that proposals submitted by each local authority were developed based on direct engagement with impacted communities and in consultation with elected representatives, the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), the local Community Response Fora and Local Development Companies.

The proposals also had to demonstrate that the funding was being targeted at, and specifically invested in, those communities, villages and towns where the highest level of new arrivals were located and where there was a clear need for investment identified.

These conditions were incorporated into the assessment process of all applications submitted to my Department.