Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021
822. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of the grants and supports available to bridge clubs seeking to return to in-person play in line with the roadmap for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions in order to ease the financial burden of bringing their premises in compliance with Covid-19-related hygiene protocols; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44165/21]
View answerThe Government are aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and are committed to working closely with the sector in managing through these, recognising that it will require a whole of Government approach. To that end, Government and my Department have introduced a number of supports to assist sectors in dealing with the impact of COVID-19 and social restrictions necessary in the interests of public health.
During 2020, the COVID-19 Stability Fund supported close to 600 organisations to continue to deliver vital services to the communities that depend on them. A further allocation of €10m was provided to the COVID-19 Stability Fund for 2021. The Stability Fund 2021 was launched on Thursday 6th May, and was targeted at organisations who met the published criteria, and which deliver critical services to vulnerable people within their community but which now face closure or a loss of service due to the impact of the pandemic. Eligibility to apply / submitting an application is no guarantee of funding and the Fund is now closed.
However, the LEADER programme may be able to provide some assistance to the organisation in question. LEADER is a rural development programme co-funded by the EU which operates a locally-led, bottom-up, approach to meeting the needs of local communities and businesses. The programme supports private enterprises and community groups in rural areas.
In December 2020, I launched the Transitional LEADER Programme which came into effect from 1 April 2021 and will run to the end of 2022. A total of €70 million is being made available over this programming period. €20 million of this Transitional LEADER Programme is funded by the European Union Recovery Instrument (EURI), which will enable local communities and enterprises to respond, recover and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, it must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved Local Development Strategy for the relevant LEADER area and it must comply with the Operating Rules and EU Regulations in place for the programme.
The decision to approve a project, or otherwise, is a matter for the LAG which administers the programme in each LEADER area. Interested applicants should, in the first instance, contact the relevant LAG through its Implementing Partners to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available.
Contact details for all LAGs and their Implementing Partners can be accessed through the Department’s website at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c45498-local-action-groups/
