Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
113. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development how her Department assesses the benefits of the Community Support Fund to the communities where funding is allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28350/23]
View answerLast November, I was delighted to launch the 2022 Community Support Fund (CSF) under the Community Enhancement Programme, with funding of €10 million to assist thousands of community groups across the country.
Support is available to, for example, Parish Halls, Community Centres, Local Development Associations, Social Clubs, Senior Citizen Groups, Men’s and Women’s Sheds. The fund is delivering small grants to help groups with running costs and rising energy bills. Groups can also use the funding to carry out small upgrade works and to purchase equipment to support their activities such as laptops and printers, lawnmowers, training equipment, etc.
The 2022 CSF funding is administered on behalf of my Department locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority. The relevant LCDC received and appraised applications.
The 2022 CSF is now closed to applicants and details of successful projects will be published on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd in the coming weeks.
I have seen first-hand how these small grants make a big difference for local communities. The feedback from community groups and from the LCDCs is very positive, and as these grants deliver immediate, targeted funding support that can be used against a range of costs, both capital and current, they are making a real impact on the ground. I look forward to continuing to deliver meaningful supports like the CSF to local communities to support them in responding to the challenges they face.
