Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 January 2024
74. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on the community centres investment fund; and if there is any scope to extend the scheme in the future. [4041/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra78. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on the 2023 community centre investment fund, particularly in relation to the application from the Ballymote community centre and regional hub. [1666/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra98. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the community centres investment fund will reopen for applications in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4017/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra101. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on the community centres investment fund and if there is any scope to extend the scheme in the future. [3991/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis is something I raised again recently. I know Deputies are continually raising it. The previous funding scheme was welcome but many community organisations perhaps did not have things lined up in time or were not in a position to make the application, between land, funding and other issues. I regularly receive questions about when there will be another call and what it will look like.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 78, 98 and 101 together.
I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. Community centres are the cornerstone of community life in towns and villages throughout the country. This Government recognises the important role these centres play in bringing people together and facilitating community services and events. As the Deputies are no doubt aware, I have prioritised the development and enhancement of community centres to improve access and provide suitable places for social gatherings in communities.
With this in mind, my Department has developed an extensive range of funding streams that are available to support communities and community facilities. This integrated programme of supports for the development and refurbishment of community centres across schemes includes the CLÁR programme, the LEADER programme, the town and village renewal scheme and, of course, the new community centres investment fund.
Under the 2022 community centre investment fund in particular, more than €45.8 million was committed for the improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres. There was a huge uptake of this funding and more than 860 different projects are seeing improvements to the fabric of their community centres as a result of this Government initiative.
I understand that in excess of 140 of these projects are now complete and great progress is being made on the remaining approvals. In November I had the pleasure of attending one of the recipients of funding under the 2022 refurbishment allocation when I officially launched the first ever Irish Sign Language café and community inclusion atrium space in Cabra. While this project delivered structural improvements and enhancements to the building itself, the benefits go well beyond that. This project aims to support better employment opportunities for the local community. It is upskilling the community in Irish Sign Language and breaking down the barriers between the deaf and hearing communities. It was a very worthwhile investment of €100,000.
In recent years, we have all come to appreciate our community facilities even more. I look forward to seeing many more of these very worthy projects opening their doors to the wider community in the coming months and witnessing at first hand the difference that can be made from a social inclusion perspective by making greater use of our community centres.
Following on from this investment, I wanted to assist community groups that are striving to build their own community centre to service their local needs. That is why, in 2023, the focus of the community centres investment fund moved to new builds. Last year, I announced a €20 million fund to support communities with shovel-ready projects on greenfield or brownfield sites for the construction of new community centres. These shovel-ready projects have all the necessary planning and consents secured so they are already at an advanced stage and ready to commence following a tender process. This fund targets areas without an appropriate facility to meet their community's needs.
The scheme for new builds was open to applicants in both urban and rural communities. The minimum grant available was €1 million, with the maximum being €6 million. As the grant funding is substantial, and for the purposes of compliance with public financial procedures, the lead party to an application must be a State-funded body, for example, a local authority, a local development company, or a State agency.
The deadline for receipt of applications for the new-build measures has now passed. I was very pleased with the response to this initiative. In total, 22 applications for new-build community centres were received by my Department, including one in respect of Ballymote, as referenced by Deputy Harkin. The assessment of these applications is almost complete. I expect to announce the successful projects shortly. I was very impressed with the quality of many of the applications submitted. I know that this announcement is eagerly anticipated in these communities and the successful projects will no doubt make a big impact in their respective areas. With regard to extending the scheme further this year, I would like to see the current round of funding finalised and the majority of the projects completed and in use by their communities. I will, of course, give consideration to the need for further rounds of funding and any conditions that might be attached to any further iterations of the scheme in the context of available funding.
My Department is committed to building vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities. The moneys provided under the community centre investment fund will serve the communities involved for many years to come. I encourage people to make full use of their community centres. They are a wonderful asset and should be fully utilised.
That is all very good news. I am sure lots of organisations will be anxiously awaiting the outcome of that process. What the Minister said is very positive but it is slightly different from the information I sought. Perhaps what she said answered other Deputies' questions. When resources are limited, it makes sense to prioritise shovel-ready projects. For organisations that are not ready, it takes time, effort and money to get ready. To get to that point, they want to have confidence that if they spend the money and make the necessary preparations, there will be a fund. None of these organisations expects anything overnight or miracles. They would like a sense of when another round might be forthcoming. When can the organisations that were not ready to go but that are looking to get to that point and have planning and funding lined up expect that the latter might happen? Will it happen in the lifetime of this Government or in the future?
As the Minister said, this is a substantial investment for shovel-ready projects. Ballymote was delighted that it was ready to go, as it were. The Minister knows from correspondence between our offices that I have been pushing for this, as I know some of my colleagues have as well. The committee is ambitious and the project, as I said, is shovel-ready. It has done huge work to get to where it is today. This project is a no-brainer, not just for Ballymote but also for the entire south Sligo area. As the Minister is aware, Ballymote has no suitable community centre despite a huge increase in population. Between 2002 and 2016, Ballymote had population growth of 60%, with 30% of its residents under the age of 18. It is the third-largest town in County Sligo, yet it has no proper community investment infrastructure.
I listened to the Minister's answer regarding funding that has already been approved, which is fantastic. I know the Minister was out in Hartstown. I will give an example of why it is important that we look at the next stream of funding now. The work in Hartstown is only starting now. It has taken two or three years to get to the stage where work will actually start. In the context of new communities, Tyrrelstown in my constituency has a community centre but the population will probably grow by at least 40% or 50% in the next few years. There is a huge population around Phoenix Park, Ongar has a massive community and the Hansfield strategic development zone does not have a community facility at all. When we start planning, it is important that people that know a new funding stream will come along because this will mean that they can have the confidence to carry out preparatory work.
I, too, welcome this. It is important for communities. I have spoken to the Minister several times about Carlow County Council's submission of an application regarding the Tullow Road community hub. The cost is estimated at €4.1 million, which has been requested. The project is shovel-ready. The Tullow Road in Carlow has a lot of housing but there are not many facilities there. This community hub would play a huge role for the people who live there. I ask that we be one of the successful candidates. I know the Minister will give us the good news shortly. I hope we will be one of the projects chosen. Anything to do with community and the work that goes on is great. These community hubs are great for the areas in which they are located. I hope Carlow will be lucky.
I would say the Deputy has her shovel ready.
Carlow is shovel-ready.
I recognise that these programmes are visionary and have made a massive difference to the communities in which they are located. Are there plans to carry out an audit of communities that have nothing, neither old community centres that can be renovated nor shovel-ready projects? They start, as I think colleagues said, from a low place when they have no place at all. I am aware of a number in my area that have no community centre or building that could be renovated. Will the Minister consider carrying out an audit to give these people the leg up they need to get started?
I will try to answer as many questions as I can. The Department has already allocated €45.8 million and another €20 million to new community centres. In total, that is €65.8 million, a considerable amount. This is a completely new fund. We did not have it before. I have been very passionate about supporting our communities and community centres. Deputies will be aware of the sports capital programme, which is very popular and successful. When I was appointed Minister in 2020, it was a priority of mine, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Joe O'Brien, to put a similar fund in place for community centres. The €45 million has supported 300 community centres. Grants ranging from €25,000 to €300,000 help communities to upgrade centres, put in new roofs and mainly put in new heating to make the centres more efficient and cheaper to run. They were aimed at existing community centres. Now, the new community centres are coming. I heard Deputy Harkin speak about Ballymote, which is in the mix along with Tullow Road, as mentioned by Deputy Murnane O'Connor. They are all good projects. I have not received a report from the officials who are assessing them at the moment. It is popular. I will make the case for more money at budget time for more community centres. I know how important they are.
Deputy Stanton asked about an audit. This has to be from the bottom up. Local communities who have nothing should engage with their local authorities and bringing it forward. That is the best way to do it. Sometimes, audits do not get the right information.
I agree. This is a good initiative. It is important, and it is for bigger projects that are shovel-ready. Like Deputy Murnane O'Connor in the context of Tullow Road, I speak strongly in favour of Ballymote. A great thing is that it is supported by many community groups such as Ballymote Community Parks, Ballymote Community Council, Sligo LEADER, Ballymote parks project and Mayo Sligo Leitrim Education and Training Board. As the Minister said, the local authority is, of course, the lead partner. The Ballymote Family Resource Centre needs additional space. It does great work. It has promised to be the lead tenant if funding is received.
I heard the Minister speak about communities that do not have community investment and Ballymote is one of those places. Therefore, I ask, in the strongest possible way, for her very best support on this.
