Balbriggan groups to benefit from €64,500 Local Community Development Committee fund.
The Fingal Local Community Development Committee.
The Fingal Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) approved Community Facilities Funding of €64,500 to 58 community groups.
In March 2017 the Minister of State for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy Catherine Byrne TD announced the new Capital grants scheme. Speaking at the launch of the scheme in the Radisson Hotel in Sligo, the Minister said “By making funding available through programmes like this, the Government is showing its belief in the value of communities, the importance of voluntary community groups and the hard work of their volunteers throughout the country.”
The Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government (now the
Department of Rural and Community Development) allocated €2 million overall for this Scheme. The funding is to be used for small scale capital expenditure to help grass roots community groups to get projects underway or take the next step towards completion. The initial scheme will run from June to December 2017. The Scheme is administered by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) under the remit of the Local Authorities.
The vast majority of grants approved by the LCDC were for €1,000 with a limited number receiving €2,500 including three Men’s Sheds from Swords, Balbriggan and Portmarnock; Balbriggan Youth Service and Mountview Family Resource Centre. Dr. Pat O’Connor, Chair Fingal LCDC, said that ‘the funding will help community groups complete small scale capital expenditure projects which will enhance communities further, address disadvantage and improve social cohesion at a local level’. In particular projects which have been approved for funding are closely aligned with strategic objectives and actions from the Local Economic and Community Plan 2016-2021. The scheme, which is set to be repeated in 2018, was heavily oversubscribed with 125 applications in total from all aspects of community development.
The grants awarded local organisations are as follows:
Flemington Community Centre €800
Balbriggan Men's Shed €2500
Balbriggan Enterprise Development Group €980
Remember Us Special Needs Group €1000
Foróige Balbriggan Youth Service €2500
Balbriggan Community Playground Group €1000
Balbriggan Integration Forum €1000
Cairde Balbriggan €1000
Balbriggan Tidy Towns Association €1000
