Funding worth €7 million has been announced to assist thousands of community groups across the country under the new Department of Rural and Community Development Local Enhancement Programme 2025.
The scheme is designed to ensure local priorities are identified and met to improve and enhance community facilities for all, the Department of Rural and Community Development said.
The Department of Rural and Community Development Local Enhancement Programme 2025 will particularly focus on small capital works/improvements, and the purchase of equipment for community use.
This funding will consist of €6 million in capital supports essential for the many small community groups and organisations, particularly those who serve disadvantaged communities in rural and urban areas.
The funding may be used, but is not limited to:
- Improved access for persons with a disability;
- Enhancing community participation for disadvantaged and marginalised groups; and
- Improving energy efficiency of community facilities to reduce ongoing costs.
A further €1 million in current funding is available for community groups, including Men’s Sheds and Women’s Sheds, to assist with their energy and running costs to help them continue their important work within the community.
All funding will be available to a diverse range of community groups, including but not limited to Men’s and Women’s Sheds/groups, community centres, parish halls and local voluntary groups.
Community groups
The funding was announced by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys and Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien today (Thursday, November 7).
Announcing the €7 million fund, Minister Humphreys said “Supporting local communities to shape their future is a key focus of the government’s rural development policy, Our Rural Future.
“The funding I am announcing today will benefit every single county and ensure that important small-scale, ground-up projects can be delivered by local communities for local communities.”
Minister Humphreys encouraged all interested groups to get in touch with their Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) that administers the fund in their area.
“Thousands of community organisations, including clubs, youth centres and parish halls, will benefit from this funding, ensuring they can continue to provide their valuable services to the people in their areas,” Minister O’Brien added.
The allocation of funding for each local authority area is as follows:
LCDC Capital allocation Current allocation Total allocation Carlow €133,777 €22,296 €156,073 Cavan €140,713 €23,452 €164,165 Clare €155,195 €25,866 €181,061 Cork City €244,189 €40,698 €284,887 Cork County €237,971 €39,662 €277,633 Donegal €260,113 €43,352 €303,465 Dublin City €562,929 €93,821 €656,750 Dun Laoghaire €174,791 €29,132 €203,922 Fingal €230,423 €38,404 €268,827 Galway City €121,447 €20,241 €141,688 Galway County €183,086 €30,514 €213,601 Kerry €180,863 €30,144 €211,007 Kildare €209,431 €34,905 €244,336 Kilkenny €146,159 €24,360 €170,519 Laois €149,094 €24,849 €173,943 Leitrim €102,037 €17,006 €119,043 Limerick €238,838 €39,806 €278,644 Longford €130,995 €21,832 €152,827 Louth €205,035 €34,172 €239,207 Mayo €186,636 €31,106 €217,742 Meath €190,745 €31,791 €222,536 Monaghan €127,082 €21,180 €148,263 Offaly €159,903 €26,650 €186,553 Roscommon €131,854 €21,976 €153,830 Sligo €123,765 €20,628 €144,393 South Dublin €343,032 €57,172 €400,204 Tipperary €206,558 €34,426 €240,984 Waterford €187,960 €31,327 €219,286 Westmeath €147,718 €24,620 €172,338 Wexford €217,051 €36,175 €253,227 Wicklow €170,609 €28,435 €199,044
The funding has been allocated by providing a baseline amount to each area and allocating the remainder based on the population and disadvantage level in each local authority area.
Community employment
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Protection announced once-off grants of up to €1,000 to support Community Employment (CE) schemes across the country.
The funding announced by Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys, and Minister of State, Joe O’Brien will assist CE sponsor organisations with the cost of purchasing materials.
The purpose of CE is two-fold:
- To support long-term unemployed people to gain work experience and training to assist them in finding employment opportunities in the open labour market;
- To provide vital services in local communities.
Some 813 CE schemes deliver a wide range of key community services nationwide, particularly in disadvantaged urban and rural areas, according to the Department of Social Protection.
There are currently 19,274 participants on CE schemes with an annual budget of over €350 million in 2024, the department said.
The types of work CE participants are involved in include local amenities management, environmental projects, arts and culture, sports, childcare, Tidy Towns, health-related services, meals on wheels and drug rehabilitation schemes.
“As minister for both social protection and rural and community development, I recognise the vital role that Community Employment schemes and their participants have in local communities right across the country.
“These schemes support a range of vital local services in areas such as childcare, meals on wheels, the maintenance and upkeep of local amenities and other vital work in our communities,” Minister Humphreys said.