COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, October 12, 2020
QUESTION NO.24
QUESTION: Councillor C. O'Connor
To ask the CEO to confirm the total amount of Grant Aid made available to Community Centres across the County from January 2020 to date; will he give details in respect of each Centre and make a statement? Charlie O'Connor
REPLY:
The Council assists multi-purpose community centres and facilities with general ongoing maintenance and running costs by way of an annual grant contribution that is ordinarily paid towards the end of the year. Recognising the challenges and cash-flow difficulties facing community centres in 2020, these grants were paid in June to support and facilitate centres who would later be eligible for funding under the Council’s re-purposed community grants
The following payments totalling €111,000 were made in June 2020:
- €2k each to Earlsfort Residents Centre, Brittas Community Centre, Bohernabreena Community Enterprise, and Brookfield Youth & Community Centre;
- €3k to St. Finians Community Hall;
- €4k each to Fettercairn Community Centre, Bawnogue Youth & Community Centre, The Park Community Centre, Kingswood Community & Youth Centre, St. Marks Youth & Family Centre, Dominic’s Community Centre, Glenasmole Community Centre, Knockmitten Community & Youth Centre, Perrystown Community Centre, Adamstown Community Centre Quarryvale Community & Leisure Centre, Knocklyon Community & Youth Centre, St. Aongus Community Centre, Ballyroan Youth & Community Centre, Palmerstown Community Centre Ltd., Greenhills Community Centre, Kilnamanagh Community Centre
- €5k each to Rathcoole Community Council, Old Brookfield Community Centre, Jobstown Community Centre, Whitechurch Community & Youth Centre
- €6k each to Killinarden Community Centre and Fettercairn Youth Horse Project
Additional financial support totalling €19k is being provided on a one-off emergency basis only in 2020 to Whitechurch Library/WEB Project (€2k), Ballyowen Community Centre (€3k), Firhouse Youth & Community Centre (€4k) and Rowlagh Community Centre and Neilstown Community Centre (€5k each).
In addition, the Council disperses national funding steams to specific community centres with payments made as follows during 2020:
National Drug Strategy Funding
- Fettercairn Community Centre: €24,250
- Killinarden Community Centre: €24.250
Transitional Youth Funding Scheme
- Brookfield Youth and Community Centre: €222,770
- Fettercairn Community Centre: €25,983
- Killinarden Community Centre: €47,820
- Quaryvale Community Centre: €77,787
- St. Mark's Community Centre: €25,983
Four community centres applied for and were funded as follows under the Department of Rural & Community Development COVID-19 Emergency Fund:
- Ballyrowan Community Centre: €3,000
- Killinarden Community Centre: €1,000
- Quaryvale Commuity Centre: €1,200
- Whitechurch Community Centre:€2,139
Under the revised community grants framework presented to the July Council meeting, a new grant is available to assist community centres with costs associated with reopening during COVID 19. The online application form can be assessed on the Council's website www.sdcc.ie
A second round of the Community Enhancement Programme targeting community facilities, administered by the Local Community Development Committee is now open for applications and may also be accessed on the Council's website.
To further assist community centres, and in particular those with CE participants, the Council has engaged a specialist health and safety company to deliver tailored COVID-19 training programme including COVID-19 induction training, updating first aid training, audits, risk assessments and local COVID Plans for the network of community centres in the County.