Preasráiteas: Buiséad 2027: Faigheann na Airí Calleary agus Buttimer maoiniú €628 milliún d’Fhorbairt Tuaithe agus Pobail agus don Ghaeltacht
Press Release
Thursday, 8 October 2026
Budget 2027: Ministers Calleary and Buttimer secure €628 million in funding for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
· €208 million secured for continued delivery of Rural Development schemes
· €260 million for schemes within Community Development
· €160 million for Gaeltacht, the Irish Language, and the Islands
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, and Minister of State, Jerry Buttimer TD, today announced a Budget package worth €628 million for 2027.
This funding ensures continued investment across the wide range of current and capital schemes operated by the Department, which support rural areas and communities throughout the country, including our Gaeltacht and island communities.
The Department’s Rural Development programme will total €208 million, building on the sustained investment of recent years in the range of schemes that are delivering for our rural areas, including the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (€60m), CLÁR (€12m), Local Improvement Scheme (€17m), Outdoor Recreation and Infrastructure Scheme (€17m).
A significant funding increase will be made available for LEADER as the new programme becomes embedded, with funding increasing from €32 million in 2026 to €43 million for 2027.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme will obtain increased funding, bringing allocation to €23 million, and funding will also enable measures for delivery as part of the successor Our Rural Future policy to be published by Government later this month.
The Community Development programme funding will total €260 million for 2027. The Community Services Programme will increase by €5 million, to over €64 million, with this funding assisting in meeting increasing wage costs for existing organisations and enabling new organisations to join the programme in line with the Programme for Government commitment.
Almost €74 million is being allocated to SICAP and other social inclusion supports, bringing long-term funding stability to the programme, and enabling the continuation of its community integration work in communities across the country. Funding for the Local Enhancement Programme will increase by €2 million, enabling small current funding grants for community organisations to assist in easing pressures of rising operating costs.
Dedicated funding has also been secured to continue to support organisations such as Tidy Towns, Agricultural Shows and Men’s and Women’s Sheds.
Funding of €160 million will be available in 2027 for the Gaeltacht, Irish Language and Islands programme. Current funding under this programme will increase by €5 million and will provide continued supports for Gaeltacht schemes, and for initiatives to strengthen the Irish language.
Included will be funding of €1 million to support the work of Foras na Gaeilge on North-South Cooperation. Funding under this programme will also provide an increase of €1.5 million to continue to support the provision of vital transport services for our offshore islands.
Speaking today, Minister Calleary said:
“I’m pleased to have secured funding of €628 million for my Department as part of Budget 2027. This funding will ensure communities across the country will continue to benefit from a wide range of supports, including the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, LEADER, and Community Centre Investment Fund, all of which are bringing positive changes to our towns and villages. This investment will support delivery of the objectives of the forthcoming Our Rural Future 2026-2031, and its vision for a thriving, resilient and vibrant rural Ireland.”
Minister Calleary added:
“The funding allocation for the Gaeltacht, the Irish Language and the Islands will allow enhanced support for existing schemes which support our Gaeltacht areas and aim to strengthen our Irish language. Budget 2027 will also support the delivery of key infrastructure projects over the coming years, as committed to in the National Development Plan. For our Island communities, increased funding will also support the ongoing provision of vital transport services which provide connectivity between the mainland and inhabited offshore islands.
“The Community Development area was a particular focus for me in this Budget and as a result schemes including the Community Services Programme and SÍOL will see increased funding in 2027, and the Social Inclusion area now secured long-term funding stability”.
Minister of State Buttimer, who has responsibility for Community Development and Charities, added:
“Budget 2027 further builds on the Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting social inclusion, community development, and the community and voluntary sector. €260 million in funding will be available in 2027 for the community development sector. I am particularly pleased with securing significant additional funding for the Community Service Programme, which will allow us to expand the programme to new organisations. I am also delighted that we have now have long term funding certainty for the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme – with previously temporary funding now made permanent and almost €74 million available for that programme in 2027.”
Preasráiteas
Déardaoin, an 8 Deireadh Fómhair 2026
Buiséad 2027: Faigheann na Airí Calleary agus Buttimer maoiniú €628 milliún d’Fhorbairt Tuaithe agus Pobail agus don Ghaeltacht
· Fuarthas €208 milliún chun leanúint de scéimeanna Forbartha Tuaithe a chur i bhfeidhm
· €260 milliún do scéimeanna laistigh d’Fhorbairt Pobail
· €160 milliún don Ghaeltacht, don Ghaeilge agus do na hOileáin
Inniu (Déardaoin, an 8 Deireadh Fómhair 2026) d’fhógair an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary TD, agus an tAire Stáit, Jerry Buttimer TD, pacáiste buiséid ar fiú €628 milliún é do 2027.
Cinntíonn an maoiniú seo go leanfar den infheistíocht i raon leathan scéimeanna reatha agus caipitil atá á reáchtáil ag an Roinn, scéimeanna a thacaíonn le ceantair thuaithe agus le pobail ar fud na tíre, lena n-áirítear pobail na Gaeltachta agus na n-oileán.
Beidh luach iomlán €208 milliún ag clár Forbartha Tuaithe na Roinne, ag tógáil ar an infheistíocht leanúnach le blianta beaga anuas sa raon scéimeanna atá ag teacht chun tairbhe dár gceantair thuaithe, lena n-áirítear an Ciste Athnuachana agus Forbartha Tuaithe (€60m), CLÁR (€12m), an Scéim Feabhsúcháin Áitiúil (€17m), agus an Scéim Bonneagair agus Áineasa faoin Aer (€17m).
Cuirfear méadú suntasach maoinithe ar fáil do LEADER de réir mar a bheidh an clár nua ag cur fúthu, agus an maoiniú ag méadú ó €32 mhilliún in 2026 go €43 mhilliún do 2027.
Gheobhaidh an Scéim Athnuachana Bailte agus Sráidbhailte maoiniú breise, rud a fhágfaidh go leithdháilfear €23 mhilliún uirthi; ina theannta sin, cuirfidh an maoiniú ar chumas an Rialtais bearta a chur i bhfeidhm mar chuid den bheartas a thiocfaidh i gcomharbacht ar Ár dTodhchaí Tuaithe agus a fhoilseofar níos déanaí an mhí seo.
Sroichfidh maoiniú an chláir Forbartha Pobail suim iomlán €260 milliún do 2027. Méadófar maoiniú chlár na Seirbhísí Pobail faoi €5 mhilliún, go dtí os cionn €64 mhilliún; cabhróidh an maoiniú seo le costais phá atá ag méadú d’eagraíochtaí reatha a chlúdach agus cuirfidh sé ar chumas eagraíochtaí nua páirt a ghlacadh sa chlár, i gcomhréir leis an ngealltanas i gclár an Rialtais.
Tá beagnach €74 mhilliún á leithdháileadh ar an gclár um chuimsiú sóisialta agus gníomhachtú pobail agus ar thacaíochtaí eile um chuimsiú sóisialta; rud a thabharfaidh cobhsaíocht mhaoinithe fhadtéarmach don chlár agus a chuirfidh ar a chumas leanúint dá chuid oibre maidir le comhtháthú pobail i bpobail ar fud na tíre. Méadófar maoiniú an Chláir Feabhsúcháin Áitiúil faoi €2 mhilliún, rud a cheadóidh deontais bheaga reatha do mhaoiniú d’eagraíochtaí pobail chun cabhrú le maolú ar bhrú na gcostas oibriúcháin atá ag ardú.
Fuarthas maoiniú tiomnaithe freisin chun leanúint de thacaíocht a thabhairt d’eagraíochtaí ar nós Tidy Towns, Seónna Talmhaíochta agus Seideanna na bhFear agus na mBan.
Beidh maoiniú €160 milliún ar fáil in 2027 don chlár don Ghaeltacht, don Ghaeilge agus do na hOileáin. Méadófar maoiniú reatha faoin gclár seo faoi €5 mhilliún agus cuirfear tacaíocht leanúnach ar fáil do scéimeanna Gaeltachta agus do thionscnaimh chun an Ghaeilge a neartú.
Áireofar ann maoiniú €1 mhilliún chun tacú le hobair Fhoras na Gaeilge maidir le Comhar Thuaidh-Theas. Cuirfear méadú €1.5 mhilliún ar fáil freisin faoin gclár seo chun leanúint de thacaíocht a thabhairt do sholáthar seirbhísí iompair ríthábhachtacha dár n-oileáin amach ón gcósta.
Ar an gcéad dul síos inniu, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Tá áthas orm maoiniú €628 milliún a fháil do mo Roinnse mar chuid de Bhuiséad 2027. Cinnteoidh an maoiniú seo go leanfaidh pobail ar fud na tíre de leas a bhaint as réimse leathan tacaíochtaí, lena n-áirítear an Ciste Athnuachana agus Forbartha Tuaithe, LEADER, agus Ciste Infheistíochta na nIonad Pobail; déanann na tionscnaimh seo go léir athruithe dearfacha inár mbailte agus sráidbhailte. Tacóidh an infheistíocht seo le baint amach na gcuspóirí a leagtar amach i straitéis Ár dTodhchaí Tuaithe 2026-2031, chomh maith leis an bhfís atá aici d’Éirinn thuaithe atá rathúil, acmhainneach agus bríomhar.”
Ar an dara dul síos, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Cuirfidh an leithdháileadh maoinithe don Ghaeltacht, don Ghaeilge agus do na hOileáin ar chumas na Roinne tacaíocht fheabhsaithe a chur ar fáil do scéimeanna reatha a thacaíonn le ceantair na Gaeltachta agus a bhfuil sé mar aidhm acu an Ghaeilge a neartú. Tacóidh Buiséad 2027 freisin le seachadadh príomhthionscadal bonneagair sna blianta amach romhainn, mar a gealladh sa Phlean Forbartha Náisiúnta. Maidir le pobail na n-oileán, tacóidh an maoiniú méadaithe freisin le soláthar leanúnach seirbhísí iompair ríthábhachtacha a chinntíonn nascacht idir an mhórthír agus na hoileáin amach ón gcósta a bhfuil cónaí orthu.
“Dhírigh mé go háirithe ar réimse na Forbartha Pobail sa Bhuiséad seo agus, dá bharr sin, gheobhaidh scéimeanna ar nós chlár na Seirbhísí Pobail agus SÍOL maoiniú méadaithe in 2027, agus fuair an Clár um Chuimsiú Sóisialta agus Gníomhachtú Pobail cobhsaíocht mhaoinithe fhadtéarmach anois.”
Dúirt an tAire Stáit Buttimer, a bhfuil freagracht air as Forbairt Pobail agus Carthanachtaí:
Tógann Buiséad 2027 tuilleadh ar thiomantas leanúnach an Rialtais tacú le cuimsiú sóisialta, le forbairt pobail, agus leis an earnáil phobail agus dheonach. Beidh maoiniú dar luach €260 milliún ar fáil in 2027 don earnáil forbartha pobail. Tá an-áthas orm go háirithe gur éirigh linn maoiniú suntasach breise a fháil do chlár na Seirbhísí Pobail, rud a chuirfidh ar ár gcumas an clár a leathnú chuig eagraíochtaí nua. Tá an-áthas orm freisin go bhfuil cinnteacht mhaoinithe fhadtéarmach againn anois don Chlár um Chuimsiú Sóisialta agus Gníomhachtú Pobail – agus maoiniú a bhí sealadach roimhe seo á dhéanamh buan anois, agus beagnach €74 mhilliún ar fáil don chlár sin in 2027.