Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South-Central, Sinn Fein)
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997. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are plans for a fund for community centres for energy efficiency and insulation in 2025 or 2026. [32714/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) has provided in excess of €109 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres.

Over €45.8 million was approved for some 861 community centres nationwide under CCIF 2022. In early 2024, funding of over €30 million was approved for the construction of 12 new community centres covering nine counties. Under the 2024 iteration of the fund over €33 million has been approved to support refurbishment works on over 770 projects nationwide. Under the refurbishment measures, many centres were approved for projects that included energy efficiency and insulation works.

I am committed to delivering further iterations of the scheme in the coming years in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government for this to become a permanent rolling fund, and a decision in relation to the timing of further iterations and the measures to be included will be made in the context of the management of ongoing commitments under the scheme and the annual budgetary process.

My Department also supports community facilities with energy efficiency and insulation upgrades through a range of other funding streams including through the CLÁR programme and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. I would encourage organisations to check my Department’s website for information on funding opportunities and announcements.