Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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3474. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether there will be a strand of the Community Centre Development Fund that will provide funding for new community centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43279/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) has provided approximately €110 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres.

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. 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 fund and the annual budgetary process.

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

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3475. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht for an update on future plans for the community recognition fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43510/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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On 5 June, 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 1,400 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. No decision has been made to implement a further iteration of funding at this stage, and my immediate priority is to ensure the full delivery of all approved projects to date.

It is also important to note that my Department provides a range of other funding programmes to support the development of community amenities, including through the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the CLÁR programme, the Community Centre Investment Fund and LEADER. Details of all of these are available on my Department's website.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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3476. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to outline the funding streams that will be available for community gardens or allotment projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43511/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department provides a number of funding streams to support communities across a range of themes.

The CLÁR programme provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. Measure 1 of the programme supports the development of community facilities and amenities, including community gardens and allotments. The 2025 programme is now closed for applications and I hope to announce successful projects in the coming months.

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) is designed to support the revitalisation of rural towns and villages across Ireland. Since the launch of TVRS over €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects across Ireland. The scheme enables the provision of funding to initiatives designed to rejuvenate town centres, including projects to renovate and refurbish multi-purpose community spaces, develop town or village centre plazas, public outdoor dining spaces, parks, green spaces including allotments, and community garden and recreational spaces or amenities in town centres.

The LEADER Programme supports a broad range of enterprises and community groups to develop projects which improve the quality of life and economic activity in rural areas. It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland, who select and approve projects in their relevant areas in line with their Local Development Strategy.

Funding under the LEADER programme is focused on a thematic approach to rural development, and community gardens and/or allotment projects may be eligible under the themes of i) Rural Infrastructure and Social Inclusion, or ii) Sustainable Development of the Rural Environment, and Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.

Further information about supports available under LEADER, the LAGs who administer the programme and how to apply for funding is available on my Department’s website at www.gov.ie/LEADER.