Press release
Our Rural Future: Minister Humphreys announces €8.7 million in funding for community and sports facilities
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys has today (12 April) announced €8.7 million in funding for community and sports facilities nationwide under the 2024 CLÁR programme.
As part of the initiative, grants of up to €50,000 will be provided to support the renovation and upgrade of community centres, parish halls, GAA clubhouses, youth facilities and more.
There will be a big focus on supporting the development of outdoor projects such as playgrounds, sensory gardens, astroturf pitches, walking tracks, skateparks and community allotments.
A recent feature of the CLÁR Programme is the investment in upgrades and improvements to spectator stands at local GAA and sports clubs.
Funding is being extended to support Meals on Wheels organisations, with support once again being provided to deliver community transport such as mobility and cancer care vehicles.
Projects on our offshore island communities will once again be supported under the initiative.
Announcing the details of the 2024 CLÁR Programme, Minister Humphreys said:
“The CLÁR Programme is all about adding life to our rural towns and villages through the delivery of high quality community and sports projects. It’s about empowering local communities so that they can realise their vision and their potential – ensuring they benefit from projects that make them better places to live, work, retire and visit. The €8.7 million in funding that I am announcing today will make such a positive difference in so many different parts of the country. The investment will fund projects that are both exciting and inclusive, projects for all ages and abilities.”
The Minister continued:
“There is a renewed focus this year on supporting renovations and upgrades to the likes of community centres and parish halls, as well as clubhouses, youth facilities and much more. I’m once again encouraging applications with an outdoor focus – I want to see us support the development of playgrounds, astroturfs, sensory gardens, walking and running tracks, skateparks and community allotments. And there is funding also being provided for improvements to spectator stands in sports stadiums, which I know will be of particular appeal to the GAA community. I’m pleased as well to announce that CLÁR will now be extended under Measure 2 to support the provision of vehicles used by our Meals on Wheels Services. These volunteers do wonderful work in communities the length and breadth of the country.”
Minister Humphreys continued:
“Since the CLÁR programme was re-launched in 2016, it has made a very positive contribution to some of our most remote and rural communities. The initiative has supported over 2400 projects with funding of over €70 million under a range of different measures.
“I continue to be amazed at the community spirit that helps drive my department’s programmes and projects. This is evident in every town and village I visit. I am sure that none of the projects would be possible without the cooperation and commitment of communities around the country.”
The measures open under the CLÁR 2024 programme are as follows:
Measure 2 and Measure 3 will be administered directly by the department.
Full details are available on our Rural Funding page.
The CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) programme provides funding for small scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population.
The scheme was re-opened in 2016 to support the development of remote rural areas through small-scale capital projects involving collaboration between local authorities (LAs) and communities, as well as for other community-based organisations.
Areas targeted under the CLÁR Programme are parts of counties: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, and Waterford, Westmeath, Wicklow and all of County Leitrim.
The measures being funded under the 2024 CLÁR programme are:
In order to allow applicants to plan for potential applications under other Rural Development Schemes, the Minister also confirmed the following target opening dates for schemes under the 2024 Rural Development Investment Programme;