Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 September 2022
131. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has considered the constraints on building community infrastructure and community involvement in the new rapidly developing areas on the fringe of cities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45043/22]
View answerI am acutely aware of the challenges which community groups and community centres are facing throughout Ireland. All matters in relation to planning are, of course, dealt with by the relevant Local Authority and An Bord Pleanála.
However, the Department provides a number of funding streams to assist groups in both rural and urban areas with some of the cost challenges they face.
The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP), which has been run on annual basis over the past number of years, provides funding to community groups and organisations across Ireland, with a focus on areas of disadvantage. Funding is provided to each Local Authority area, and the programme is administered by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) on the basis of local need. The 2021 CEP was launched in May with an allocation of €4.5m. It's is envisaged that the CEP will run again later in 2022, however, details of the fund and the allocations available have not yet been confirmed.
In 2021 the Community Activities Fund (CAF) provided funding of €9M to community groups to help with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities. Groups also used the funding to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase equipment within their community, such as tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers, canopies and training equipment. This once-off fund was administered locally by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs).
Earlier this year the new Communities Centres Investment Fund (CCIF) was announced with funding of €15M available to communities in both urban and rural areas for the upgrade and refurbishment of existing community centres.
Examples of the projects this fund will support include:
- Energy retrofitting projects that reduce an organisation's carbon footprint;
- Works to address safety concerns, including as a result of fire safety audits;
- Works to improve disability access;
- Works to improve communal facilities such as kitchen and toilet facilities, and
- Essential maintenance
The closing date for applications under CCIF was the 14th of July and the assessment and appraisal process is currently underway, it is expected that details of successful projects will be made available in Q4.
