18 May 2023
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
The Department of Rural and Community Development is to allocate total funding of €1,039,535 to Cork County Council under its inaugural Community Recognition Fund for the development and upgrade of community infrastructure and facilities in Cork East, according to local Fine Gael TD, David Stanton.
Deputy Stanton
The Community Recognition Fund, announced for the first-time, is a major initiative to support and reward communities that have welcomed families and citizens from Ukraine and other countries in recent times. The fund aims to support the development of facilities that will be used by all members of the community with funding allocated across all local authorities based on the number of new community arrivals.
Under the Community Recognition Fund, 35 projects in Cork East Constituency have been approved for funding:
Project – Description – Funding Amount
- Ballymacoda – Fr. O’Neill GAA Club – Development of a gym facility with changing rooms, showers and toilets – €15,000
- Buttevant – Conversion of first floor attic area to a recreation area – €40,000
- Cobh – Upgrade of community hall and installation of disability access – €15,000
- Doneraile – Upgrade of walkway and new fencing – €10,000
- Mitchelstown – Refurbishment of hall, tea rooms and toilets and provision of a meeting room – €25,000
- Fermoy – Purchase of gardening equipment, flower boxes – €3,000
- Fermoy GAA – Refurbishment of club house to create a community space – €40,000
- Fermoy Rowing Club – Purchase of rowing boat and indoor training equipment – €5,000
- Glounthane – Refurbishment of community centre – €40,000
- Greywood Arts, Killeagh – Kitchen appliances, projectors, PA system, scanner, fire extinguishers – €5,000
- Leeside AFC, Glounthane – New perimeter footpaths – €5,000
- Mallow Town FC – Purchase of mower – €3,000
- Mallow Pyramid Gymnastics – Purchase of new matting and equipment for gym – €5,000
- Mallow Pool – New dressing room facilities and equipment – €60,000
- Mallow United – New toilets with disability access – €10,000
- Fermoy – Purchase of community bus – €50,000
- Midleton FC – Upgrade of facilities – €5,000
- Whitegate Peoples Path – Upgrade of walkway – €200,000
- Mitchelstown – Replacement of heating system – €10,000
- Whitegate Rowing Club – Purchase of adjoining land to expand facilities -€10,000
- Aghada GAA, Whitegate – Convert existing facility to a gym and recreational/educational area – €30,000
- White Bay – Upgrade of amenity area and park – €40,000
- Corkbeg AFC, Whitegate – Upgrade amenity area, new coffee kiosk, toilets, pathways, security gates – €30,000
- Youghal – Purchase of outside broadcast van – €20,000
- Youghal Scouts – Refurbishment of toilets – €3,000
- Youghal Tidy Town – Purchase of equipment – €7,000
- Youghal Basketball Club – Purchase of equipment – €5,000
- Claycastle Leisure, Youghal – Sand Filters – €15,000
- Youghal – Purchase of community bus – €50,000
- Claycastle Pitch and Putt Club, Youghal – Purchase of mower – €15,535
- Youghal Chamber of Tourism – Upgrade of tourist office – €5,000
- Youghal Community Centre – Complete upgrade and rewiring – €120,000
- Youghal – Footpath enhancement – €90,000
- Youghal Karate Club – Purchase of equipment – €3,000
- Midleton – Purchase of community bus – €50,000
Total – €1,039,535
Speaking after confirmation of the allocations, David Stanton said: “I am very pleased to see the establishment of the Community Recognition Fund with substantial funding being granted to a variety of local community projects across Cork East. The creation of such a fund is just recognition of the fantastic response of communities across the constituency in welcoming those seeking international protection.
“The number of those using local community amenities has greatly increased as a result and this funding will provide Cork County Council with the opportunity to further develop or upgrade existing facilities for the benefit of all community members. This unique funding covers a range of projects and I look forward to seeing the benefit that this will have on our local town and village amenities as well as to those who use them regularly”, concluded Deputy Stanton.