Funding boost for community centres across Laois

Communities centres across Laois are to receive funding of €336,437.25 for the upgrade and refurbishment of their facilities.

The successful Laois projects will receive a share of the funding under Category 1 of the new Community Centres Investment Fund. 

The Laois recipients are:

• Ballyroan Community Development Association €25,000
• Ballyroan Community Hall €25,000
• Camross Community Centre €24,860
• Castletown Community Centre €22,250.57
• Hawthorn Development Association €20,644.56
• Killeen Community Hall €11,791.90
• Laois Friends (Laois Friends, Special Needs, Social and Recreational Committee) €23,146.91
• Mountrath Development Association €24,988,26
• Portarlington Community Centre Company Limited by Guarantee €24,550.05
• Shanahoe Community Hall €24,900
• Spink Community Development Association Ltd €24,856
• St. Aongus Club Ratheniska €17,479
• The Rock GAA Club €24,970
• The Swan Development Association €17,000
• Timahoe Community Hall €25,000

The funding was welcomed in Laois.

Sean Fleming, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, congratulated the recipients.

"I want to congratulate all of the successful groups who are receiving funding today which will be of great benefit to these local communities for years to come.

"I want to acknowledge and praise the works of all local community groups who work on an ongoing basis to keep these community facilities going in their area.  These groups made excellent applications for funding on behalf of their local areas," said the Fianna Fáil TD.

Fine Gael TD Charlie Flanagan was also pleased.

“I am delighted this funding available to Laois community centres given the vital work the staff and volunteers there do and the invaluable services they provide. 

“The Community Centres Investment Fund was launched in April 2022 with funding of €15m available under three categories. The key theme of the fund is to support community groups with the upgrade and development of their Community Centre facilities.      

“Community centres are valued shared spaces and are very much at the heart of Laois towns and villages. I hope this funding assists in allowing for an increase in the provision of services to people across Laois.”

“I also want to congratulate the successful projects and to thank them for the vital work they do in providing services in our local communities. This funding will deliver high quality capital projects for community facilities that bring benefit to the local community here in Laois,'' Dep Flanagan concluded. 

Minister of State Pippa Hackett praised communities.

“Our community centres are nothing without our communities and today I say well done to those dedicated people who mind our centres so that they are fit for the many and varied purposes they are put to.

"Today’s refurbishment and upgrade grants of over €312,000 for Laois and €356,000 for Offaly community centres reflects this dedication and hard work. I believe there was a large number of applications to the fund and I thank my Government colleagues for securing additional funding in the Budget so that there is a wide spread of benefit in Laois and Offaly,” said the Green Party Senator.

€1.2 billion 'putting money back in pockets' package welcomed in Laois

Among the capital works that will be carried out include: Upgrades to heating systems / energy retrofitting; Installation of new windows / doors; Works to upgrade and improve kitchen facilities; Upgrades to lighting systems and stage areas; Works to upgrade toilet facilities; Works to improve disability access; Improvements to assist in providing additional or better services to the community such as Meals for the Elderly & youth facilities; Works to develop Community Centres as Social Hubs through the development of Community Cinemas, Youth Hubs and Community Libraries; Essential maintenance works, repairs to roof, etc; and Works to address safety concerns, including as a result of fire safety audits.

€12m funding for community centres will benefit people 'for years to come' - Humphreys

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, announced funding of over €12.5 million on Wednesday, October 12 for the upgrade and development of almost 600 Community Centres nationwide.

Put your questions to Laois Gardaí

Funding was available under 3 Categories, with grants up to €300,000 available Category 1 grant recipients like those in laois received funding for small scale projects/improvements to facilities costing up to €25,000.

Category 2 grants will cover larger scale projects with grants of €25,001 to €100,000 possible while Category 3 supports will cover the cost of major projects with funding of €100,001 to €300,000 to be offered.

The fund closed to applications on the 14th of July. The appraisal process for Categories 2 and 3 is currently ongoing.