Our Rural Future: Minister Humphreys Announces €8.7 Million in Funding for Community and Sports Facilities
2024 CLÁR Programme to deliver hundreds of projects nationwide
Funding to renovate community centres, parish halls, GAA clubhouses, youth facilities and more
Grants for outdoor projects such as playgrounds, sensory gardens, walking tracks, skateparks and community allotments
Renewed focus on upgrading spectator stands at local GAA and sports clubs
Scheme extended to cover the purchase of vehicles for Meals on Wheels under Measure 2
Continued support for our island communities.
The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today (12 April) announced €8.7 million in funding for community and sports facilities nationwide under the 2024 CLÁR programme.
As part of the initiative, grants of up to €50,000 will be provided to support the renovation and upgrade of community centres, parish halls, GAA clubhouses, youth facilities and more.
There will be a big focus on supporting the development of outdoor projects such as playgrounds, sensory gardens, astroturf pitches, walking tracks, skateparks and community allotments.
A recent feature of the CLÁR Programme is the investment in upgrades and improvements to spectator stands at local GAA and sports clubs.
Funding is being extended to support Meals on Wheels organisations, with support once again being provided to deliver community transport such as mobility and cancer care vehicles.
Projects on our offshore island communities will once again be supported under the initiative.
Announcing the details of the 2024 CLÁR Programme, Minister Humphreys said:
“The CLÁR Programme is all about adding life to our rural towns and villages through the delivery of high quality community and sports projects.
“It’s about empowering local communities so that they can realise their vision and their potential – ensuring they benefit from projects that make them better places to live, work, retire and visit.
“The €8.7 million in funding that I am announcing today will make such a positive difference in so many different parts of the country.
“The investment will fund projects that are both exciting and inclusive, projects for all ages and abilities.”
The Minister continued:
“There is a renewed focus this year on supporting renovations and upgrades to the likes of community centres and parish halls, as well as clubhouses, youth facilities and much more.
“I’m once again encouraging applications with an outdoor focus – I want to see us support the development of playgrounds, astroturfs, sensory gardens, walking and running tracks, skateparks and community allotments.
“And there is funding also being provided for improvements to spectator stands in sports stadiums, which I know will be of particular appeal to the GAA community.
I’m pleased as well to announce that CLÁR will now be extended to support the provision of vehicles used by our Meals on Wheels Services.
“These volunteers do wonderful work in communities the length and breadth of the country.
Minister Humphreys continued:
“Since the CLÁR programme was re-launched in 2016, it has made a very positive contribution to some of our most remote and rural communities. The initiative has supported over 2400 projects with funding of over €70 million under a range of different measures.
“I continue to be amazed at the community spirit that helps drive my Department’s programmes and projects. This is evident in every town and village I visit. I am sure that none of the projects would be possible without the cooperation and commitment of communities around the country.”
The measures open under the CLÁR 2024 programme are as follows;
- Measure 1 - Community Facilities and Amenities (administered by the local authorities in consultation with local communities)
- Measure 2 - Mobility, Cancer Care, Community First Responder and Meals on Wheels Transport
- Measure 3 – Our Islands.
Areas targeted under the CLÁR Programme are parts of counties: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, and Waterford, Westmeath, Wicklow and all of County Leitrim.
Measure 2 and Measure 3 will be administered directly by my Department. A national map of CLÁR areas, together with individual county maps, is available here.
Full details are available on www.gov.ie/drcd.