Community centres in Laois will receive funding of €336,437.25 to upgrade facilities which will benefit users of all ages.
A total of 15 centres have received funding ranging from €25,000 down to €11,000.
The funding will be used to upgrade to heating systems, carry out retrofitting, install new windows and doors, upgrade and improve kitchen facilities, lighting, toilet, disability access and carry out roof repairs.
Ballyroan Community Development Association, Ballyroan Community Hall and Timahoe Community Hall all received €25,000.
Camross community association was granted €24,860, Castletown Community Centre received €22,250.57 and Hawthorn Development Association was granted €20,644.56.
€11,791.90 went to Killeen community hall while Laois Friends (Laois Friends, Special Needs, Social and Recreational Committee) received €23,146.91.
Mountrath Development Association has been given €24,988.26
and €24,550.05 is going to Portarlington Community Centre Company.
Shanahoe Community Hall received €24,900 while Spink Community Development Association got €24,856 and €17,479 is going to St Aongus Club in Ratheniska
The Rock GAA club received €24,970 while The Swan Development Association was granted €17,000.
Local representatives have welcomed the news of the successful awards.
Deputy Charlie Flanagan said: “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.
“Fine Gael is working to build stronger safer communities and today’s funding allocation is the latest in a line of initiatives and supports aimed at making our towns and villages more attractive places to live and visit.
“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.
“Through ‘Our Rural Future’, It is important to support locally led, ground-up projects in local communities across the county. This funding is about a helping hand to our local groups and clubs in Laois, which have continued to serve their community.
“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.”
Deputy Sean Fleming said: “This new fund brings unprecedented investment to benefit community centres in our county. These community centres are the heart of our towns, villages and parishes.
“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.
“Finally, 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.”
Minister Pippa Hackett: “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.”
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