Over €225,000 allocated to Longford through the Community Enhancement Programme

The Minister for Rural and Community Development, Mr Michael Ring TD, has today confirmed that more than 80 Longford projects are among the 3,000 that have been allocated funding under his Department’s Community Enhancement Programme (CEP).

Minister Ring allocated €12.5 million under the Programme in 2018 and upward of €225,000 of that will be spent on community projects here in Longford.

CEP provides capital grants to community groups and is targeted towards enhancing facilities in disadvantaged communities. It supports a range of investment in all areas of communities, such as childcare groups, playgrounds, recreational groups, sports grounds, landscaping, and supporting the elderly.

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Examples of projects supported in Longford include:

• €7,500 to resurface car park in Clonguish GAA Club, Co Longford
• €8,480 to upgrade the kitchen and office in Ballymahon Convent House Cay Care Centre
• €6,500 to the Ballinamuck 98 Memorial Hall Committee for the upgrade and repair of the hall
• €5,000 contribution towards funding requirements for Ballinamuck Foróige Juniors Youth Club's LEADER project for astro turf surface
• €6,000 for the Bog Lane Theatre in Ballymahon for refurbishment and upholstering the original theatre chairs and replacement of the wooden floor
• €5,000 to upgrade the heating system in the Bridgeways Family Resource Centre
• €5,000 to complete the building of Glen After Care
• €6,000 to install shower facilities at Kenagh GAA
• €7,000 for Longford Men's Shed to install two stoves, a tool sharpener and refurbishment of the premises
• €7,500 for LED floodlighting at Longford Rugby Club
• €6,965 for Longford Wanders Football Club to install windows and a door, ball stop nettings, goals and to carry out once-off repair work around the grounds
• €5,000 for Lús na Gréine Family Resource Centre clg. for a purpose built garden room

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Speaking today, Minister Ring said: “Having allocated over €12.5 million under the Community Enhancement Programme in 2018, I am delighted to be able to announce the more than 3,000 projects which are set to benefit from it.

“A relatively small amount of money can go a long way and this investment will greatly benefit local community projects throughout the country.

“Typical enhancements under the Programme could include the renovation of community centres and community amenities, improvements to town parks and common areas and spaces and the purchase of equipment which is used to benefit the community.

“The Programme has also supported energy efficient upgrades, developing community gardens, provision of defibrillators, CCTV, and sports and IT equipment.

“The funding has been allocated in a way that means that those communities who need it most, whether in cities, towns or rural areas, will benefit.”

The application process for the CEP is administered by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in each Local Authority area. There was an open application process when the CEP was originally launched in May.

The other projects supported by the CEP in county Longford can be seen below.

The full list projects supported can be found on the Department’s website here: https://drcd.gov.ie/wp- content/uploads/CEP-Jan-2019- Project-approvals.pdf

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