2026-07-14

13. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the actions his Department is taking to advance the community development of urban village centres such as Dundrum village; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53309/26]

As we see housing developments near many of our village centres, it is imperative that we also undertake projects that facilitate community development for those villages. A civic, cultural and community centre is needed for Dundrum village in my constituency of Rathdown. What is the Department doing to address issues such as this? Will the Department work with local groups such as Imagine Dundrum to see this project delivered?

I thank the Deputy for the question. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I have developed a range of funding schemes and interventions which advance the development of communities across the country. While many of the Department's schemes are focused on rural areas, others traverse both rural and urban communities. These include the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, the community services programme, the community centre investment fund, the community recognition fund and the local enhancement programme. The Department's SICAP programme is the country's primary social inclusion programme. As the Deputy knows, SICAP aims to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion and equality in Ireland through supporting communities and individuals, using community development as its main method of approach. The Southside Partnership implements SICAP in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, which includes Dundrum in its catchment area. The Department has also approved significant capital investment in Dundrum to support the development of community spaces. For example, €99,000 has been allocated to the upgrade of the Patrick Doyle Road playground in Dundrum under the community recognition fund. Also under the community recognition fund, €146,000 has been approved for an upgrade to Balally scout den. Under the community centre investment fund, over €14,000 was allocated for the upgrade of kitchen and toilet facilities at Rosemount Family Resource Centre. As announced recently, the local enhancement programme for 2026 provided €7 million in capital supports to many small community groups and organisations, particularly those who serve disadvantaged communities in rural and urban areas. The list of successful projects for the 2026 programme was well propagated and includes a number of organisations in the Dundrum area, supporting activities such as the provision of youth services. I will comment further following the Deputy's supplementary question.

Imagine Dundrum is a brilliant community organisation. It has repeatedly demonstrated the case for this space and the need for such a space is highlighted in the county development plan and local area plan. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is supportive of a potential project, but what we need in Dundrum are the resources and structure centrally to make it happen. I appreciate the listing of the funding schemes, but these are not yet getting it over the line, and that is what we need to happen. Many urban villages are facing the same problem of increased populations but decreased community space and unclear paths to establishing new civic space. We need to see greater security of funding and greater investment in our urban villages, so that every community can have the space it needs to thrive. In Dundrum, there is a local family resource centre and local youth services that help some of my most disadvantaged constituents, all of whom need a home. Will the Department consider its funding mechanisms, particularly in advance of the budget, so that we can get projects like this over the line?

I appreciate that Dundrum, in some cases, is not eligible for funding under some of the criteria for schemes. The Minister and I have had conversations with many Deputies in the House, especially those from west Dublin, parts of Cork South-Central and parts of the Deputy’s own constituency. We are very much committed to community development and regeneration. The Deputy will have heard the Minister, Deputy Calleary, speaking a moment ago on the regeneration of urban village centres in reply to another question. It is pivotal to us. Our Department and the Government place a strong emphasis on social inclusion and addressing social disadvantage. We are open to discussion on the mechanisms of support for many different projects. For example, Dundrum is eligible for funding under the urban regeneration and development fund administered by the Department of housing. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has been approved for funding of €4.3 million for the new Dundrum community hub. I understand a preliminary business case has been made.

It seems everyone who needs to be involved is on board to make this project a reality but available funding is not adequate to make this happen for Dundrum village. The new towns and cities regeneration investment fund as currently constituted will not be able to make this civic centre happen. I am asking that the Minister of State work with me and other representatives on the ground to make this happen and address the gaps in our funding streams that have left this vision unrealised. I understand that communities throughout the country are in need of support and funding to develop and I understand the Minister of State’s Department has to balance these needs nationwide, but inaction on this means wasting a golden opportunity to transform an urban village in a way that will affect thousands of residents, which has the backing of the community and the council and which is desperately needed to guarantee the sustainable development of the community. We are 20 years since Dundrum Village as a shopping centre was established. Although it has been pivotal in providing employment to young people and so on, it has had a detrimental impact on the actual community spirit and the civic centre of the town and village. This has to be addressed and it is a project which we must advance.

In a previous reply, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, mentioned the new building and community investment funding. It is important to make the point that it is a cross-governmental approach working with the local authority. In terms of civic and community culture and civic hubs, the Minister and I want all local communities to develop. We are ambitious that people can live and flourish in some cases where they are from and are able to regenerate that area. We have allocated significant funding to Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council for a variety of projects, including library development, playgrounds and different vibrant areas of the community. I encourage everyone, including the Deputy, to encourage everyone to collaborate with the local authorities to ensure we can bring many projects over the line but also to ensure that at the core of what we do is dealing with the challenge of social inclusion. We have a variety of schemes, including the local enhancement programme in recent weeks, which is small projects with small money but which are important transformational projects. I will sit down with the Deputy in the coming weeks to have that conversation. We are ambitious. We recognise the contributions of people in local areas and we want to see them flourish. I will be happy to sit down with the Deputy.