A Clare Minister is denying the county has been shortchanged in the latest tranche of a Government funding scheme.
Eight community projects in Clare are sharing an €806,000 allocation announced under phase three of the Community Recognition Fund.
The initiative was set up to support communities that have welcomed refugees, and Clare’s allocation this time around represents just under 5% of the €22 million dished out nationwide.
The county previously received €1.7 million in phase one, and Tulla-based Fianna Fáil Minister of State Timmy Dooley says it’s now a case of the scales being rebalanced.
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Statement from Clare County Council
County Clare was allocated a total of €2,608,408 under the Community Recognition Fund (CRF) 2024. This national allocation was determined based on the number of new arrivals in each local authority area.
The Department of Rural and Community Development opened the scheme to community groups in April 2024, inviting them to submit project proposals for consideration.
Local authorities were permitted to submit funding proposals to the Department in multiple phases, allowing for flexibility in responding to emerging needs and opportunities throughout the year. There were three submission windows available for proposals.
Clare County Council’s Submissions:
• Window 1: The Council submitted proposals for 21 projects and secured funding of €1,802,000 .
• Window 2: The Council did not submit a proposal during this window.
• Window 3: A further 8 projects were submitted and, as of yesterday, have been awarded the remaining €806,408.
In total, 29 projects across County Clare have now been approved, fully utilising the entire CRF 2024 allocation of €2.608 million.
This outcome reflects the significant efforts of Clare County Council’s Rural and Community Development Department, which worked closely with community groups to develop and prepare project proposals that met the scheme’s criteria and were ready for submission.”
