William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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378. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether the increase in the community centre investment fund to €20 million, as announced in Budget 2026, will extend to new builds, or be limited to refurbishment works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55980/25]

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 was pleased to announce a €3m increase for CCIF as part of budget 2026, which brings the allocation for next year to €20m. 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. This includes the extent to which the focus will be on refurbishment and/or new builds.

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.