Community and communal facilities relating to new public housing developments can be supported via a number of funding streams. However in the case of the communal facilities scheme that is supported by National Lottery funding, this is in the main, for facilities to complement social housing developments under the Capital Assistance Scheme/CAS and is for works and facilities including communal dining and kitchen areas, sitting/activity rooms, laundries, accommodation for therapy or treatment or other facilities reasonably required to improve the residents’ living conditions.
Funding for this particular scheme has been provided from the National Lottery since 1991. Payments are made to the local authorities who in turn, advance the funding to the AHB providing the communal facilities. The annual funding allocation for the Communal Facilities scheme was €500,000 for both 2023 and for 2024.