Almost 600 community centres, parish halls, GAA clubhouses and Men’s Sheds will receive funding worth €12.5 million under a new Government initiative.
The full details of the scheme and the list of beneficiaries have been unveiled by the Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys.
Included are youth halls and care centres in communities across Ireland, with venues receiving grants of between €10,000 and €300,000, depending on the type of work that is needed.
Small-scale projects will receive funding of between €10,000 and €25,000, while major projects will receive between €100,000 and €300,000.
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The money will go towards capital works such as improvements to communal facilities like kitchen and toilet facilities; energy retrofitting including new windows, doors and heating systems; upgrades to lighting systems and stage areas; safety works; works to improve disability access; and essential maintenance work.
The €12.5 million Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) will go towards groups in both rural and urban communities.
Wednesday’s announcement will see so-called “category one” projects revealed, involving smaller-scale work.
Ms Humphreys said there would be further announcements before the end of the year she said of larger funding schemes for more extensive works including to build “brand new” community centres.
The Minister said she had been “very conscious” centres had not had the facility to fundraise during Covid and needed funding for essential maintenance. Speaking at the Fettercairn youth and community centre in west Tallaght, which has been granted €9,284.00, she said: “It is particularly important in this area. This is a disadvantaged community [and] this place here runs everything. The kids get fed here at lunchtime, [there is a] darts academy ... a coffee shop ... there are the community employment schemes.”
“The local community centre is at the heart of our towns, villages and parishes all across this country,” Ms Humphreys said.
“They come in many different shapes and sizes and are a place for people of all ages to meet up and socialise with friends, old and new.
“I want to support these great local facilities and that’s why I launched the new Community Centre Investment Fund earlier this year.
“The level of interest has been unprecedented under any scheme previously run by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Examples of some of the successful applicants announced today include the Ballymun Arts and Community Resource Centre in Dublin, which received €25,000; the Jobstown Community Centre in Dublin which received €16,699; the Crusheen Community Centre, Co Clare, which received funding of €25,000; and the Bweeng Community Hall in Co Cork which also received €25,000. amongst others.
Minister of State Joe O’Brien TD said that he spends a significant amount of his time “out and about visiting community groups throughout Ireland and I see first-hand the importance of community centres - that shared community space where people can gather to support each other, to work, to socialise, and to help to continue to develop their local community”.
“There has been huge interest in the fund, which has received a large number of applications, and the increased funding we have secured in the Budget will ensure that the new fund has the biggest impact possible in local communities nationwide.”
