Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, has today announced funding of over €12.5 million for the upgrade and development of almost 600 Community Centres nationwide.

THE new Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) will support groups in every county to carry out refurbishments and improvements of their local community facility.

Grants of up to €25,000 will be provided to almost 600 groups in both rural and urban communities.

The funding will see improvements to community centres, GAA clubs, parish halls, youth centres, men’s sheds and facilities used by elderly people.

Minister Humphreys announced the funding during a visit to the Fettercairn Community and Youth Centre in Tallaght, which received Category 1 Funding.

She said:

“The local Community Centre is at the heart of our towns, villages and parishes all across this country. They come in many different shapes and sizes and are a place for people of all ages to meet up and socialise with friends, old and new.

“I want to support these great local facilities and that’s why I launched the new Community Centre Investment Fund earlier this year. The level of interest has been unprecedented under any scheme previously ran by the Department of Rural and Community Development.

“I want to congratulate all of the successful groups who are receiving funding, which I know will benefit local communities for years to come.”

The Community Centre Investment Fund represents the largest single investment in community centres in decades.

The works that will be carried out include upgrades to heating systems and kitchen facilities, better disability access, essential maintenance works such as roof repairs, works to provide additional services and the development of social hubs.

Today’s announcement of successful applicants  will be followed by further funding announcements for larger scale projects in the coming weeks. Examples of successful “Category 1” applicants include:

  •       Tus Nua Artane Coolock Family Resource Centre, Dublin – €25,000.
  •       Bweeng Community Hall, Co Cork – €25,000.
  •       Cara House Family Resource Centre, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal – €25,000.
  •       Mulcair Men’s Shed, Co Limerick – €17,517.
  •       Merville Youth & Community Centre, Co Sligo – €25,000.

Minister of State Joe O’Brien added:

“I spend a significant amount of my time out and about visiting community groups throughout Ireland and I see first-hand the importance of community centres – that shared community space where people can gather to support each other, to work, to socialise, and to help to continue to develop their local community.”

A full list of the successful projects under Category 1 of the Community Centres Investment Fund is available here.