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Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, and Minister of State with responsibility for Community Development and Charities, Joe O’Brien, have today (Thursday 11 May) announced the successful projects in Co. Roscommon under the 2022 Community Support Fund.
The key theme of the Community Support Fund is to support groups, particularly in disadvantaged areas, with their energy bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities.
Minister Humphreys made the announcement after she had officially opened the Phoenix Youth and Community Centre, Ballaghaderreen. The hub will provide a centre of excellence for youth and community with a special focus on STEM and Creative Arts.
Some of the successful projects awarded funding under the Community Support Fund were:
Speaking in Ballaghaderreen, Minister Humphreys said:
“I am delighted to be here to announce almost €281,000 in funding for 152 projects across County Roscommon today as part of my department’s Community Support Fund. Through ‘Our Rural Future’, I want to support locally led, ground-up projects in communities. This funding is all about giving a helping hand to our local groups and clubs with their energy costs, whether it’s the electricity bill, insurance costs or other overheads. While these grants are small in nature, they can make a big difference by allowing Roscommon community organisations to carry out much needed works in their area.”
Minister Humphreys added:
“I fully appreciate the fantastic work carried out by volunteers in communities across the county whether it’s the local Men’s Shed, the Development Association or Community Centre. People across Roscommon work hard to make sure they can keep the lights on and run fantastic local services and events for young and old to enjoy. I would like to thank Roscommon County Council and Local Community Development Committee for their assistance in administering this fund.”
The Community Support Fund is a once-off fund provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development and administered by Local Community Development Committees, with support from the Local Authority, in each area.
Also commenting on the successful projects today, Minister Joe O’Brien said:
“The Community Support Fund provides a range of invaluable small grants to help the smaller community groups and facilities that support communities at a grassroots level. I know that this funding is an important tool in helping these important groups and we were especially conscious that with the impact of current energy costs many groups would need additional supports to help them to continue to provide their valuable services to the people in their areas. I want to congratulate the successful projects and to thank them for the vital work they do in providing services in their local communities.”
The Minister opened a number of rural development projects while in Roscommon.
The first was ‘The Cube Flexispace’, a 19,000 square foot social and community hub in Roscommon Town. ‘The Cube FlexiSpace’ is a shared flexible office and desk space with an emphasis on supporting Social Enterprises.
At the Cube, the Minister launched the Local Employment Area Service for County Roscommon and took a tour of the facility to meet the companies and social enterprises based there.
Later there was a visit to Lake O’ Flynn in Ballinlough to open a new, CLÁR funded, outdoor recreation project. The new outdoor gym and exercise equipment; extension of car park; new signage and landscaping will enhance amenities at the lake.
The Minister also officially opened a new digital hub, The EK Digital Hub, in Ballinlough. The previously derelict property was purchased by Enterprise Kiltullagh, an entirely voluntary community development committee and developed into a digital hub with investment support from the LEADER programme.
A new website, Ballinlough.ie, was also launched. It will help highlight local amenities and increase visitors to the area.
Speaking about her visit to Roscommon the Minister said:
“I have really enjoyed being in Roscommon today. The energy and passion for communities and rural areas that I have felt from everyone I have met is striking. This shows me that rural Ireland and our communities are thriving and we will continue do everything we can to embrace, support and harness that energy.”
Community Support Fund is targeted towards enhancing facilities in disadvantaged communities. It provides small grants to community groups in a manner consistent with each area’s Local Economic and Community Plan.
The 2022 Community Support Fund was launched in November 2022 with funding of €10 million available. €100,000 of this funding was ring-fenced specifically to support Women’s Sheds. The once-off fund is allocated under the department’s Community Enhancement Programme.
The funding is administered locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority. Contact details for LCDCs are available.
In the period 2020 – 2023, the Department of Rural and Community Development has invested €41.5 million in County Roscommon.
Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for rural Ireland for the period 2021-2025. It represents a new milestone in the approach to rural development policy for Ireland and adopts a more strategic, ambitious and holistic approach to investing in and maximising opportunities for rural areas.
Funding awarded: LEADER Funding €375,000, Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) - €22,698
Background: The premises locally known as The Phoenix Youth and Community Centre has been renovated and refurbished to a high standard to provide a state of the art youth cafe space, STEM and Techspace multimedia room, administration offices and other ancillary facilities.
Funding awarded: CLÁR Programme €29,213
Background: Works carried out include installation of new outdoor gym and exercise equipment; extension of car park; new signage and landscaping.
The project has resulted in increased footfall as it caters for the needs of different ages and abilities. Two of the new exercise equipment caters for people with disabilities and are wheelchair accessible. It is also a tourist attraction.
Funding awarded: LEADER Programme €123,296
Background: Refurbishment of a former unused building into a Social Enterprise Centre, containing hot-desking, meeting space area that can also be used for training, mini seminars/conferences, and utilised by the community to host meetings.