Taoiseach launches funding to enhance 399 community centres nationwide

Mon, 04 Nov, 2024 - 09:28

Eva Osborne

Taoiseach Simon Harris and the Minister for Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, have announced funding to deliver enhancement and refurbishment works at 399 community centres nationwide.

The Community Centres Investment Fund 2024 was launched in June 2024 to provide investment for upgrade and refurbishments works on existing community centres under two categories.

Category 1 is for minor works with grant aid up to €25,000 and Category 2 is for larger works with grant aid up to €100,000.

The successful community centre projects announced on Monday are Category 1 applicants. Over €7.6million is being announced under Category 1.

Successful projects under Category 2 will be announced in the coming months.

Making the announcement, Taoiseach Simon Harris, said: “I am delighted to make this announcement today which will see important upgrade works carried out in community centres in towns, villages, and parishes across the country.

“These are small grants which will make a big difference. The funding we are announcing today will local groups to improve kitchen and toilet facilities, replace old windows and doors, upgrade the heating system and improve disability access.

“I want to congratulate the committees and local volunteers for all the work they do to ensure that our community centres are at the heart of our local communities. I congratulate them on submitting successful applications and I look forward to seeing works commence on these projects over the coming months.”

Examples of successful projects funded under the announcement are:

Ballinameela Community Centre CLG, Co Waterford - €23,052 for boiler upgrade, lighting and internal painting;
Trim Family Resource Centre CLG, Co Meath – €20,360 for accessibility improvements, window replacements and facility enhancements;
Portarlington Community Centre CLG, Co Laois - €25,000 for facility enhancement works;
Tulsk Action Group CLG, Co Roscommon - €21,026 for installation of solar s to improve the energy efficiency;
Dunkineely Community Centre Association, Co Donegal - €24,700 to fund a disabled access toilet and refurbishment of existing toilets;
Woodview Community Resource Centre CLG, Co Cork - €23,750 to fund window replacements, new fire exit door and heating upgrades in the hall.

Minister Humphreys added: “I introduced the Community Centre Investment Fund in 2022. My ambition was to develop a fund to our local community centres in the same way that the Sports Capital Programme s upgrade and improvement works at our local sports facilities.

“The new Fund has been a huge success with total funding of over €82 million now approved for almost 1,300 projects across the country.

“The Community Centre is open to everybody. It is at the heart of every community in Ireland, rural and urban.

“They are places for people to meet up locally and engage in a wide range of activities whether it’s meals for the elderly, fitness classes, indoor soccer, yoga or even providing a space for the local drama group to perform – the community centre is a home for everybody.

“This funding is about ing local groups to carry out vital upgrade works as well as enhancing the services and amenities they can provide to persons of all ages in their community.”