In 2018, I launched the Community Enhancement Programme with initial funding of €4.5m. The programme helps community groups to improve facilities in their area. It supports a range of investment in all areas of communities, such as childcare facilities, playgrounds, recreational facilities, sports grounds, landscaping projects, and supports for the elderly.
in 2018, there was a huge level of interest in the programme right across the country following its launch. So I was delighted to be in a position to allocate additional once-off funding to the programme later in the year and the final amount allocated was €13 million. This included €0.5 million that was ring-fenced for Men's Sheds.
Over 3,000 projects across the country were funded, all of them targeted at enhancing facilities in disadvantaged communities.
In March of this year, I launched the 2019 programme with funding of €4.5m, the same amount that was initially provided in 2018. The 2019 funding has been allocated and the allocations to each local authority can be found on my Department's website.
If savings elsewhere in the Department are identified as the year progresses, I will consider additional funding for the Community Enhancement Programme.