Community centres need funding now

CLLR Ger Carthy called for an emergency meeting of the Local Community Development Committee (LCDC), after his request to have new funding streams explored for village community centres wasn’t acted upon.

Cllr Carthy raised the matter at the recent Wexford Municipal District meeting. Speaking in the council chamber last Monday he said: ‘ There are different funding streams like the village renewal fund. There is funding that could be put into community facilities.’

Cllr Carthy said the next Leader funding round will only allocate €400,000 between 40 applicants. ‘ That will make no difference to any community group,’ he said.

Director of Services John Carley said the village renewal scheme requires an application to the Department for the Arts. ‘I’m not sure it comes before before the LCDC. It’s a well made point and it will be discussed at the LCDC.’

Cllr Carthy said he called for the matter of seeking more funding to be brought to the LCDC six weeks previously. ‘We are three weeks out from the deadline. A serious amount of work has been put into the applications by community groups.’

He asked when the LCDC is meeting again and was told by Mr Carley that it will be meeting either at the end of June or at the end of next month. ‘ That will be too late. I would ask you to convene the LCDC. It came before Wexford Borough and it wasn’t actioned. I need a solution to this problem,’ Cllr Carthy said, asking for the CEO Tom Enright to weigh in on the matter.

Mr Carthy said he will look into the matter.