Bicycle repairs, new GAA scoreboard, sliotars being paid for from €1 m Laois refugee recognition cash

Nearly 50 projects across Laois will get a share of over €1 million to recognise communities which have welcomed and hosted people who have fled Ukraine and other countries.

A total of €1,014,607 is being shared out under 48 heading under the new Community Recognition Fund announced by the Government on May 18.

The Department of Rural and Community Development says the money comes from a €50 million pot allocated across all local authorities based on the number of new arrivals located there. 

The Government says the fund aims to support the development of community infrastructure and facilities in recognition of the contribution being made by communities across Laois in welcoming and hosting significant numbers of new arrivals from war-torn Ukraine and refugees from other countries seeking International Protection. 

The largest allocation of €151,587 goes to the Emo Sports field Committee for the extension of the Community Centre to provide new and improved changing rooms and sanitary accommodation.  Emo is home to a direct provision centre a the old Montague Hotel.

The Rathdowney Community Centre has been allocated €87,497.50 for an upgrade to windows and doors and toilets and the installation of solar panels. New modular homes are being built in Rathdowney for Ukrainians.

The Sports Hall Portlaoise is getting €68,084 for upgrade to its heating system and alarm system and exit doors, the replacement of a wooden floor and wall padding. Portlaoise GAA club is getting €10,000 for a new scoreboard.

Portlaoise has the highest number of Ukrainians.

Another big winner is the Laois Leisure Portarlington which has been allocated €68,678.77 for a range of initiatives. 

The Rathdowney Errill Activity & Wellness Hub is getting €59,707.50. 

Some 1,000 Ukrainans have found refuge in Laois while the county is also home to Direct Provision Centres in Abbeyleix and Emo.

The full range of the funding allocations for Laois is as follows: 

• Abbeyleix Community Garden - Garden benches for community garden €800
• Abbeyleix AFC - Walkway around track €7,900
• Laois South Laois Beekeepers - Landscaping €2,000
• Jellytots Community Crèche Abbeyleix - Shelter to provide outdoor space for use as a sensory classroom/area €4,000
• Abbeyleix Bog Project - Build a dipping pond €1,900
• Laois Down Syndrome Abbeyleix - Purchase of Occupational Therapy Equipment €4,500
• Abbeyleix Parish Hall - Upgrade Parish Hall to include exterior and interior painting €2,000
• St Lazerian’s GAA Abbeyleix - Replace and resurface all-weather training area - €4,700
• Abbeyleix Park Development Committee - Surfacing Park Walkways/Trail €19,994
• Emo Sports field Committee - Extension of Community Centre to provide on ground floor: 1. New and improves changing rooms 2. Sanitary accommodation 3. Shower facilities €151,587
• Rath NS Emo - 1. New outdoor furniture; 2. Groundworks to prepare the surface for classroom; 3. Purchase native hedgerows and plant same €10,000
• Rath/Ballybrittas Development Association - 1. Landscape works; 2. Purchase large flower planters; 3. Purchase native flowers - €15,250
• Clonaslee High Nelly Club - High Nelly Restoration €2,000
• Clonaslee United - Full Size adult goals €3,000
• Clonaslee St Manman’s GAA - Lighting for walking track €15,000
• Clonaslee Tidy Towns - Bus Shelter €9,876
• Clonaslee Community Hall- 1. Installation of Fire doors/frames; 2. Conversion of toilets to wheelchair accessible toilets - €14,050
• Clonaslee Badminton Club - Badminton Equipment €1,000
• Irish Country Roads and Culture Trail Durrow - Purchase electric bicycles €10,000
• Lions Durrow AFC - Carpark €24,300
• Harps GAA Club - Install Astro Turf surface on ball wall area €17,317
• Mountmellick AFC - Portable full size goals €4,000
• Sarsfields Ladies LGFA Mountmellick - 1. Mannequin Set; 2. Speed Tracks; 3. Ball Rounders €700
• Mountmellick ICA - Upgrade front entrance, replace front door, ramps €7,685
• Mountmellick Men’s Shed - Roof repairs €9,600
• Portarlington GAA Community Centre - Upgrade toilets to include baby changing facility
• Upgrade kitchen facilities €30,000
• Portarlington Lawn Tennis Club - Create car park area €10,000
• Portarlington Rugby Club  - New surfaces on lands to facilitate pitches and all weather training facilities, car parking, gym and Club house for all - €30,000
• Port Art Collective - 1. Gazebo; 2. Folding Tables/Chairs; 3. Embroidery Hoops, needles & wool €2,200
• Portarlington Concert Band - Purchase musical equipment, printer and laptop - €10,885
• Coderdojo Portarlington - Purchase laptops, projectors, marquee €5,000
• Laois Leisure – Portarlington - 1. Scrolling Display Boards; 2. Training Equipment; 3. Ruth Lee sinking manikins for Lifesaving training; 4. Pace clocks plus safety covers; 5. Smart Screens & Digital signage; 6. Flooring replacements; 7. Store reel for lane ropes; 8. Landscaping; 9. Replacement of Spinning Bikes; 10. Van ram wheelchair bike €68,678.77
• Rathdowney Errill Activity & Wellness Hub - 1. Youth Café – Purchase Furniture; 2. Girl Guide – Purchase Equipment; 3. Arts Group – Purchase pop-up stage and retractable seating; 4. Rathdowney/Errill Juvenile GAA Purchase new equipment and training gear to include jerseys, goal posts, nets, plastic hurls, sliotars and training poles; 5. Clover United FC -purchase equipment to incl goals, jerseys, footballs and training equipment; 6. Rathdowney/Errill Activity Hub – Purchase pop up gazebo, stainless steel tea/coffee flasks; 7. Ossory Cycle-Purchase pop up gazebo, stainless steel tea/coffee flasks; 8. Rathdowney/Errill Senior GAA – Construct Walking Track €59,707.50
• Rathdowney Community Centre CLG  - 1. Upgrade all window and doors; 2. Upgrade toilets; 3. Install Solar panels €87,497.50
• Portlaoise GAA; Purchase digital scoreboard €10,000
• Laois LABS Flag Football Portlaoise - Purchase Jerseys €800
• Portlaoise Sports Hall - 1. Upgrade heating system; 2. Upgrade alarm system and exit doors; 3. Replace wooden floor; 4. Replace wall padding €68,084
• Laois Music Generation - Equip musical space €5,000
• Cos na hAbhann/Bruch na hAbhann Portlaoise - Recreational and biodiversity enhancement to include: 1. Planting trees and shrubs; 2. Insert pathways; 3. Lighting; 4. Outdoor exercise unit; 5. Seating; 6. Polytunnel €10,000
• Portlaoise FRC - Purchase: 1. Jerseys; 2. Balls; 3. Training Equipment - €2,500
• Laois Leisure – Portlaoise; 1. Multilingual welcome and safety messaging to enhance the experience for a multi-national society; 2. Ruth Lee sinking manikins €4,600
• Laois School of Music Portlaoise; 1. Signage; 2. Bluetooth speaker; 3. Grand Piano cover €6,000
• Downtown Portlaoise Feature lighting for laneways project €30,000
• Laois CountyCouncil  - Cycle training area €40,000
• St. Brigid’s Place Residents Assoc Portlaoise - 1. Lighting around walkway; 2. Landscaping €40,000
• Ballylinan Community - Development of local amenities to include the community hall and playground €55,764.16
• St. Abban’s Athletic Club Various areas throughout the county - Land acquisition €36,000
• Laois TFI Local Link Laois/Offaly Various areas throughout the county - 1. Rathdowney - bus stop poles to highlight services – 3 no. required; 2. Durrow - Replace existing 2 poles which are for old services no longer in operation; 3. Abbeyleix - Replace existing 2 poles; 4. Portlaoise - Replace existing 8 poles; 5. Mountmellick - Replace existing 1 pole and adding 2 more where services are currently stopping but no infrastructure in place 6. Clonaslee - No existing bus stop poles to highlight services. 4 no. required for 2 stop Locations; 7. Portarlington existing bus stop poles to highlight services 3 no. required €8,000

The Fund was allocated to projects in Laois and other counties following an extensive consultation process with local authorities who submitted their individual list of projects for approval.