A Budget package worth €472 million has been allocated to the Department of Rural and Community Development for 2025. A number of community and voluntary organisations, including Irish Rural Link were critical of the allocation, with CEO Seamus Boland saying the €472 million “pales in comparison to the amount of money available in the Budget”.
He expressed doubt that the funding would allow for “any meaningful development to be made in rural areas and to ensure the sustainability of the community and voluntary sector”.
However, a statement released by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister of State, Joe O’Brien said the allocation “will breathe new life into towns and villages and support the development of rural and urban communities throughout the country”.
According to the Department, €212 million will fund rural development schemes such as Town and Village Renewal, CLÁR, LEADER, and the Rural Regeneration & Development Fund.
The remaining €260 million will be dispersed among community development schemes in both rural and urban areas, “with €22 million now available for the Community Centre Investment Fund and €25 million for the Community Recognition Fund”.
Figures released by the Department of Rural and Community Development also highlight an increased allocation for the Community Services Programme “bringing funding to €55.4 million”.
“Additional funding will be provided for the Local Improvement Scheme, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and CLÁR, bringing their funding levels to €15 million, €20 million, and €11 million respectively in 2025.
“Funding increases for the Department’s work in relation to islands are also included, with total funding increasing to €16 million, covering capital investment and the provision of transport services to our offshore islands,” said a statement from the Department.
It continued: “€260 million is available for the Department’s Community Development Programmes, including the work of the Charities Regulatory Authority. The two main schemes in this area, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), and the Community Services Programme, will have combined core funding of over €100 million for 2025. This funding will support the ongoing promotion of social inclusion measures and the provision of vital community services throughout the country.”
The allocation for Community Development also provides funding of €22 million under the Community Centre Investment Fund– an increase of €1 million in 2025 – to support the upgrade, renovation and refurbishment of community centres across the country.
The Department’s allocation includes an additional €3.4 million for dog control work, including €1.4 million to promote responsible dog ownership, and once off capital of €2 million in 2025 to improve dog control infrastructure.
Budget 2025 also provides €13 million to assist with the community response to the Ukraine crisis, for work to be completed under SICAP, the recently-launched Community Connection Project and through volunteering supports.
“This will help to assist and integrate arrivals from Ukraine and other countries into local communities throughout the country. Separately, there is €25 million for projects approved under the Community Recognition Fund, which is a €100 million fund developed in recognition of the contribution being made by communities in welcoming and hosting significant numbers of arrivals from Ukraine and other countries,” added the statement.
Minister Humphreys commented: “The level of funding secured as part of the Budget really does demonstrate Government’s ongoing commitment to building strong, vibrant and sustainable communities throughout Rural Ireland.”
Minister O’Brien added that Budget 2025 “further builds on my commitment to supporting social inclusion, community development, and the community and voluntary sector”.
“Increased funding for the Community Services Programme in particular, bringing funding to €55.4 million, will help to assist social enterprises that provide valuable services in our communities.
“I am also pleased to announce I have secured an additional €1 million euro for a further expansion of the Empowering Communities Project, which will see more community workers being deployed in some of the most disadvantaged communities across the country,” he said.
