Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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31. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding supports provided at a local level in community centres targeted at addressing social exclusion; if he will consider increasing funding in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66817/25]

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion intervention programme overseen by my Department. This is a national programme that is delivered in both rural and urban areas by Local Development Companies (LDCs) to help those in the greatest need.

SICAP supports individuals and community groups who face disadvantage, providing targeted supports in areas such as employment, mental health, education, and community engagement and improving the quality of life of those facing social exclusion and inequality. The supports are provided by the staff of Local Development Companies in local communities across the country, often using community centres as their bases. I am delighted to have secured an additional €1.5m in Budget 2026 which brings the annual funding for SICAP to in excess of €50m in 2026.

My Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports 426 community-based organisations, with a budget of €55.4 million in 2025, to provide 446 local services through a social enterprise model. The CSP Programme provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each FTE position being supported, and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a manager. My Department has secured a further increase of €4m in 2026, bringing the total programme allocation to €59.4m for 2026.

Seventy-eight of the organisations currently supported under CSP, under the primary activity of Community Hall, Sports and Resource Centres, are associated with community centres. They provide CSP-supported employment to a total of 376 staff, 54 managers and 322 full-time equivalents (FTEs). The total amount of funding allocated to these organisations is €34.6 million over the five-year timeframe of this programme (2023-2027).

Following on from a commitment made in the Programme for Government and the Budget 2026 announcement, my Department is currently examining the scope to hold an open call to the CSP Programme, having regard to the funding needs of existing CSP-supported organisations, organisations waitlisted from the previous call and those who wish to join the Programme.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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32. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to increase capital investment under the Community Centres Investment Fund for community halls and voluntary groups in rural County Cork, particularly in areas experiencing population growth but limited facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67264/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Since becoming Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, I have prioritised investment in community infrastructure. 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 where such a need has been identified. Over €10.7 million has been allocated to almost 190 projects in county Cork in the same period.

I am delighted to confirm that only last Saturday, I turned the sod for construction to commence on a new community centre in Rylane which was allocated over €1.8 million in funding from my department under the CCIF 2023 new build.

I am committed to delivering further iterations of the fund in the coming years in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government for this to become a permanent rolling fund.

Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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33. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht an míneoidh sé cén uair a bheidh na toghcháin do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta ann; agus an bhfuil sé i gceist na toghcháin a reáchtáil in 2026. [68517/25]