Taoiseach ‘will pursue’ funding for Newcastle community centre

Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said the Government will pursue a funding model with Galway City Council to construct a proposed €3.8 million community centre for Newcastle.
In the Dáil last week, Mr Martin praised the Newcastle Combined Community Association and its chair, Seamus Davey, for their vision “to provide a first-class facility for their community”.
Planning permission was secured last year for a two-storey community centre adjacent to Croí House on Moyola Lane, which will also include a children’s playground, all-weather pitch and a sensory garden.
Locals raised more than €200,000 to get the project through the planning stage, and the City Council has since committed to provide €900,000 in funding, leaving a shortfall of €2.9m for construction.
The matter was raised by Galway West TD Noel Grealish in the Dáil, who said there are grants for nearly all sporting organisations through the sports capital programme and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund, but community centres seemed to fall outside any State support scheme.
He said there has long been a need for such a centre in Newcastle, an area where locals have been campaigning for 30 years and which has a population of more than 6,000 people.
“The project is now shovel-ready and awaiting funding to commence construction. It has the unanimous support of Galway City Council. The council will commit a minimum of €900,000 towards the €3.8 million building cost of the project. That leaves a shortfall of €2.9 million.
“There has long been a need for such a facility in the Newcastle and neighbouring Dangan areas, especially since the only hotel in the area, a focal point for the community, closed in recent years. It was demolished to make way for student accommodation.
“Bear in mind that the population of the area in question is similar to that of towns such as Ballinasloe, Fermoy, Westport and Roscommon that are well serviced with such facilities.
“I have been working with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, for the past number of months but he tells me there is no funding available for such a project. I know there are many demands on public funds, but will the Taoiseach give a commitment to set up a community centre fund that will provide financial support to the likes of the Newcastle Combined Community Association in order that it can build the much-needed community centre in question?
“I ask that something be done in the short term, not the long term. Do not kick this ball down the road. This area needs a community centre, as do, I am sure, many other areas throughout the country. I welcome the grant that was introduced during the pandemic, which was used to refurbish and repair many community centres.
“Why not make this a pilot project? Will the Taoiseach come back to the House in the short term with sort of proposal to allow us to build this much-needed facility?” asked Deputy Grealish.
The Taoiseach said there should be a capital fund for community centres and commended Deputy Grealish for “an audacious move” to secure a pilot project for Newcastle.
“I will talk to the Minister for Rural and Community Development, Deputy Humphreys, and the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, again to see what we can do in conjunction with the local authority and to discover whether we can provide some supports for what has clearly been a project developed, from the ground, up by the community in Newcastle.
“The community activists and leaders there really have the vision to provide a first-class facility for their community.
“I will certainly pursue that with the Ministers involved to see whether, in conjunction with the local authority, we can do more to make sure that what is a shovel-ready project can actually be brought to fruition,” said Mr Martin.