Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 April 2024
1718. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development how long the community centre investment will run; and if extra funding will be made available if there are other applicants. [13724/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity centres are a vital resource for any community, and in recent years I have prioritised the development and enhancement of community centres across the country to improve access and provide suitable social spaces.
Under the 2022 Community Centre Investment Fund in particular, over €45.8 million was committed for improvement and refurbishment works on over 860 existing community centres across Ireland. There was a huge uptake of this funding and communities are now enjoying the improvements to the fabric of their community centres as a result of this Government initiative.
Following on from this investment, I wanted to assist community groups who 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 new €20 million fund to support communities with shovel-ready projects on green or brownfield sites for the construction of new community centres.
My Department received 22 applications to this fund from locations all around the country, and I hope to announce the successful projects shortly. I will, of course, then give consideration to the need for further rounds of funding and indeed any conditions that might be attached to any future iterations of the scheme in the context of available funding.
