Huge cost of community funding applications to be tackled

COMMUNITIES across County Wexford may soon have to fork out less to make applications for funding, after Cllr Ger Carthy highlighted the issue at the meeting.

The Independent councillor said it can cost 15,000 to make an application and even then there are no guarantees that it will be successful.

During a debate on Leader funding, which amounts to €2m in 2017 for community projects across the county, councillors were informed that a total budget of €950,000 is planned for community centres as part of the council’s Local Development Strategy, while €650,000 has been earmarked for community centres over the coming months.

Funding is also being provided for the development of walking trails, arts and culture initiatives, youth facilities, community playgrounds and outdoor gyms, community shops and community Wi-fi. Cllr Carthy asked for community centre allocations to be increased to the maximum of €950,000. ‘ There has been a very onerous process for community groups involving e-tenders meaning costs could run to €15,000,’ he said, adding that there has been a significant fall-off in groups applying for funding as a result. ‘It should be done in a way whereby it should not cost community groups loads of money,’ he said.

Cllr Tony Dempsey agreed, saying the bureaucracy and expense involved can be prohibitive for communities.