Bartlemy and Anglesboro halls supported under Energy Support Scheme

Local groups and organisations are among the successful applicants under the latest tranche of funding via the Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme (CVESS).

Among the recipients are Bartlemy Parish Hall, who have received a €200 allocation and Anglesboro Community Centre, with a €610 allocation.

Funding was also allocated under the scheme to several other groups throughout Cork, Waterford, Limerick and Tipperary and across the country, the majority going to community halls and facilities.

Announced on Friday last, May 26, this funding comes under Tranche 5 of the scheme. Some €438,622 was announced to aid an additional 166 organisations across the community and voluntary sector.

This will see a one-off contribution made towards increased energy bills for 2022, with payments issued to organisations immediately.

Friday’s announcement, made by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, and Minister of State, Joe O’Brien TD, brings the total number of organisations supported under the initiative to 846, with over €1.35 million now disbursed.

“Community and voluntary organisations deliver vital services in our communities. Targeted supports such as the CVESS mean they can get on with the important work they do, this kind of funding gives them space to concentrate on what people really need from them,” Minister Humphreys said.

It was also confirmed by the Ministers that recipients include organisations who have benefitted from the scheme’s expansion to organisations that were deemed ineligible for support under the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS), on the grounds that they are engaged in passive trade, and to organisations who receive smaller levels of Section 39 funding.

This initiative forms part of a range of measures introduced in Budget 2023 to meet higher energy costs for households, businesses and community organisations and it complements the Department’s supports to the community and voluntary sector, promoting sustainable, inclusive and empowered communities across Ireland.