Funding of €472,534 announced for five Leitrim Community Centres

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, along with the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD, have today announced funding of over €33 million for the upgrade and development of 278 Community Centres nationwide.

This includes five Community Centres in Leitrim who are to receive capital investment totalling €472,534.

The announcement under the new Community Centre Investment Fund represents the largest ever capital investment in upgrading Community Centres and will see grants of between €25,000 to €300,000 provided to successful projects. 

The funding will be used to upgrade, renovate and refurbish Community Centres, Parish Halls, Scouts Clubs, Youth Hubs, Family Resources Centres and Sports Complexes across the country. 

Communities in every single county in Ireland will benefit as part of the investment.

Sligo Leitrim TD and Minister of State Frank Feighan has warmly welcomed the funding for the following Co Leitrim communities:

• Kiltyclogher Church of Ireland €25,000.00
• Ballinaglera Community Hall €35,523.81
• Mayflower Community Company Ltd, Drumshanbo, €85,000.00
• Bee Park Resource Centre Company Ltd, Manorhamilton €43,000.00
• Kinlough Community Development Company Ltd €284,009.69

“I am delighted for the hard-working committees associated with the management and running of local community centres and halls who put in a lot of voluntary hours, fundraising and much more to ensure parishes and communities can have a vital piece of infrastructure to host sports, meetings and gatherings.

“Again Minister Humphreys and the Tánaiste in Government have recognised this and secured funding that will have a deep impact in rural Ireland”, concluded Minister Feighan.

Capital investment for community centre in neighbouring counties includes:

CAVAN: Templeport Resource Centre Development Company €97,358.96; Swanlinbar Development Association Company €94,899.48; Ballyconnell Community Centre €300,000. 

DONEGAL: Bundoran Community Development Company €281,653.03.

LONGFORD: Drumlish Community Association Company €259,909.23

ROSCOMMON: Boyle Family Resource Centre €100,000; Elphin Community Centre Company €285,019.05; St Ronan's Hall Community Company, Keadue €144,210.70.

Examples of some of the types of work being supported include:

• Extensions to existing community centres
• The provision of meeting rooms, offices, counselling rooms and family rooms
• Energy Retrofitting/upgrades to Heating Systems 
• Works to develop community centres as social hubs through the development of community cinemas, youth hubs and community libraries
• Works to upgrade kitchen facilities to enhance the delivery of Meals on Wheels
• Upgrades to lighting systems and stage areas
• Fire Safety Upgrades
• Essentials maintenance works, repairs to roof, re-wiring, etc
• Works to upgrade toilet facilities
• Works to improve disability access
• Replacement of windows and doors
• Installation of electric vehicle charging points