From Department of Rural and Community Development
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The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Michael Ring TD, today announced additional funding of €8 million for the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) which supports disadvantaged communities throughout the country by providing capital grants to community groups.
The CEP provides a flexible and targeted approach to funding those communities most in need, while reducing the level of administration involved. Today’s allocation follows on from an initial allocation of €4.5 million under the fund in May of this year.
Minister Ring said:
“The Community Enhancement Programme supports a range of investment in all areas of communities, such as childcare groups, playgrounds, recreational groups, sports grounds, landscaping, and the elderly.
“Typical enhancements under the programme could include the renovation of community centres and community amenities; improvements to town parks, common areas and spaces; and the purchase of equipment which is used to benefit the community.
“The additional funding has been allocated in a way that takes deprivation levels into account and I am confident that those communities who need it most, whether in cities, towns or rural areas, will benefit.”
The application process for the CEP is administered by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in each local authority area. There was an open application process when the CEP was originally launched in May, and this additional funding will be used to fund applications that were made under the original call, but which were not funded or not fully funded.
Minister Ring concluded:
“Based on the extremely positive response to the Community Enhancement Programme funding announced earlier in the year and the evidence that more worthwhile initiatives could benefit from support, I have decided to allocate a further €8 million under the Community Enhancement Programme.”
€500,000 was also provided to support the work of Men’s Sheds through the CEP. Today’s announcement brings to €13 million the funding provided to community groups through the programme this year alone.
For details on the funding in each local authority area see the below table:
| Local Authority | Original allocation (May 2018) | Additional allocation (21 September 2018) | Total amount |
| Carlow | €134,206 | €117,833 | €252,039 |
| Cavan | €134,757 | €124,891 | €259,648 |
| Clare | €139,257 | €182,489 | €321,746 |
| Cork City | €149,241 | €310,283 | €459,524 |
| Cork | €160,762 | €457,754 | €618,516 |
| Donegal | €159,461 | €441,104 | €600,565 |
| Dublin City | €212,306 | €1,117,518 | €1,329,824 |
| Dun Laoghaire Rathdown | €142,108 | €218,984 | €361,092 |
| Fingal | €150,521 | €326,668 | €477,189 |
| Galway City | €132,455 | €95,424 | €227,879 |
| Galway | €143,401 | €235,535 | €378,937 |
| Kerry | €142,409 | €222,831 | €365,239 |
| Kildare | €148,013 | €294,571 | €442,585 |
| Kilkenny | €136,319 | €144,886 | €281,205 |
| Laois | €136,524 | €147,508 | €284,032 |
| Leitrim | €129,223 | €54,048 | €183,271 |
| Limerick | €152,942 | €357,659 | €510,601 |
| Longford | €132,385 | €94,525 | €226,909 |
| Louth | €145,542 | €262,940 | €408,482 |
| Mayo | €145,203 | €258,600 | €403,803 |
| Meath | €142,893 | €229,030 | €371,923 |
| Monaghan | €132,571 | €96,905 | €229,476 |
| Offaly | €138,550 | €173,446 | €311,997 |
| Roscommon | €133,301 | €106,255 | €239,556 |
| Sligo | €134,084 | €116,275 | €250,359 |
| South Dublin | €169,399 | €568,301 | €737,700 |
| Tipperary | €149,690 | €316,036 | €465,727 |
| Waterford | €144,499 | €249,582 | €394,081 |
| Westmeath | €136,571 | €148,104 | €284,675 |
| Wexford | €150,065 | €320,827 | €470,891 |
| Wicklow | €141,343 | €209,187 | €350,530 |
| Total | €4,500,000 | €8,000,000 | €12,500,000 |
The CEP is targeted towards enhancing facilities in disadvantaged communities. It provides capital grants to community groups.