James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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114. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his Department’s plans for the publishing of the next round of the community centre fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56036/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Since becoming Minister, I have prioritised investment in community infrastructure and in services to support our communities. As part of Budget 2026, I was delighted to announce increased funding for the programmes that are delivering on this priority. This includes an increase in the annual budget for the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) by €3 million to €20 million.

The CCIF was introduced to provide high quality, accessible, community spaces that are available to all groups in all communities in both rural and urban areas. Some €110 million has been allocated 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.

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.