Press Release
Monday, 22 June 2026
Minister Calleary opens upgraded Community Centres in Kilkenny supported by the Community Centre Investment Fund
- Funding of over €93,000 for solar panels and toilet upgrades in Urlingford Community Centre
- St Kieran’s Community Hall, Johnstown received funding of over €94,000 for roof and external wall enhancement works
Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, today (Monday, 22 June 2026) visited Co. Kilkenny to officiate at a series of openings for projects funded under the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF), aimed at strengthening communities and supporting regeneration across the county.
The visit began in Urlingford to officially open the Urlingford Community Centre, Co. Kilkenny. Since 2022, funding of over €393,489 was provided to Urlingford Community Centre through the Community Centre Investment Fund. In 2022, €300,000 was approved for roof upgrades and external insulation. In 2024, over €93,000 was provided for toilet refurbishments, the installation of solar panels and community cinema equipment.
Speaking in Urlingford, Minister Calleary said:
“The works completed here in Urlingford have upgraded the internal facilities and transformed the energy efficiency of the building through the installation of solar panels which will assist the community into the future with energy costs.
“The Community Centre Investment Fund continues to transform communities nationwide both, urban and rural, through the provision of accessible, inclusive and welcoming facilities that bring young and old together.”
Next, the Minister travelled to Johnstown where Minister Calleary (delete and replace with ‘he’) officially opened the newly refurbished St Kieran’s Community Hall, where funding of €94,020 was provided under CCIF 2024 to support upgrades to the facility’s roof and enhancement works to external walls.
Speaking today in Johnstown, Minister Calleary said:
“Today marks an important milestone here in Johnstown as the refurbished St Kieran’s Community Hall is opened following enhancement works. These works totalling over €94,000 have improved the fabric of the building, ensuring its continued role in community life in the area.
“Since 2022, over €280,000 has been provided to this facility under the Community Centre Investment Fund. I am delighted to see that the numbers in the community using this facility have increased by over 50%, demonstrating that this was money well spent.”
The Community Centre Investment Fund 2026 – Refurbishment measure is currently open to applications. The closing date for receipt of applications is 13 July, with funding of up to €100,000 available for upgrade and refurbishment works on existing community facilities.
Preasráiteas
Dé Luain, an 22 Meitheamh 2026
Osclaíonn an tAire Calleary Ionaid Phobail i gCill Chainnigh a uasghradaíodh le tacaíocht ó Chiste Infheistíochta na nIonad Pobail
- Maoiniú níos mó ná €93,000 le haghaidh uasghráduithe ar phainéil ghréine agus ar leithris in Ionad Pobail Áth na nUrlainn
- Fuair Halla Pobail Naomh Ciarán, Baile Sheáin, maoiniú níos mó ná €94,000 le haghaidh oibreacha feabhsúcháin ar dhíonta agus ar bhallaí seachtracha
Inniu (Dé Luain, an 22 Meitheamh 2026) thug an tAire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta, Dara Calleary, cuairt ar Chontae Chill Chainnigh chun sraith oscailtí a reáchtáil do thionscadail a mhaoinítear faoi Chiste Infheistíochta na nIonad Pobal, ina ndírítear ar phobail a neartú agus ar athnuachan a thacú ar fud an chontae.
Thosaigh an cuairt i mBuirglinfaidh chun Ionad Pobail Urlingford a oscailt go hoifigiúil, Co. Chill Chainnigh. Ó 2022 cuireadh níos mó ná €393,489 ar fáil don Ionad Pobail Urlingford trí Chiste Infheistíochta Iontaobhais Phobail. I 2022 ceadaíodh €300,000 le haghaidh uasghráduithe dín agus insliú seachtrach. I 2024, cuireadh níos mó ná €93,000 ar fáil le haghaidh athchóiriú leithreas, suiteáil painéal gréine agus trealamh pictiúrlainne pobail.
Ag labhairt inniu i mBaile Sheáin, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Baintear sprioc thábhachtach amach inniu i mBaile Sheáin le hoscailt Halla Pobail Naomh Ciarán tar éis oibreacha feabhsúcháin agus athchóirithe. Sna hoibreacha seo, ar fiú os cionn €94,000 iad, cuireadh feabhas ar struchtúr an fhoirgnimh agus cinntíodh go leanfaidh a ról i saol an phobail sa cheantar.
“Ó 2022 i leith, cuireadh os cionn €280,000 ar fáil don tsaoráid seo faoi Chiste Infheistíochta na nIonad Pobail. Tá áthas orm a fheiceáil gur tháinig méadú os cionn 50% ar líon na ndaoine sa phobal a bhaineann úsáid as an áis seo, rud a léiríonn gur fiú go mór an t-airgead a caitheadh air.”
Ansin, thaisteal an tAire go Baile Eoin áit ar oscail Aire Calleary Halla Pobail Naomh Chiaráin athchóirithe go hoifigiúil, áit ar cuireadh €94,020 ar fáil faoi CCIF 2024 chun tacú le uasghráduithe ar dhíon na n-áis agus oibreacha feabhsaithe ar na ballaí seachtracha.
Ó 2022 i leith, cuireadh maoiniú os cionn €393,489 ar fáil d’Ionad Pobail Áth na nUrlainn trí Chiste Infheistíochta na nIonad Pobail. Sa bhliain 2022, ceadaíodh €300,000 le haghaidh uasghráduithe dín agus insliú seachtrach. Sa bhliain 2024, cuireadh os cionn €93,000 ar fáil le haghaidh athchóirithe leithris, suiteáil painéal gréine agus trealamh pictiúrlainne pobail.
Ag labhairt in Áth na nUrlainn, dúirt an tAire Calleary:
“Rinneadh na háiseanna inmheánacha a uasghrádú agus éifeachtúlacht fuinnimh an fhoirgnimh anseo in Áth na nUrlainn a athrú trí phainéil ghréine a shuiteáil a chabhróidh leis an bpobal amach anseo le costais fuinnimh.
“Leantar ag athrú pobail ar fud na tíre faoi Chiste Infheistíochta na nIonad Pobail, idir uirbeach agus thuaithe, trí áiseanna inrochtana, cuimsitheacha agus fáilteacha a sholáthar a thugann óg agus aosta le chéile.”
Tá iarratais á ghlacadh faoi láthair faoi Chiste Infheistíochta Ionaid Phobail 2026 – Beart Athchóirithe. Is é an 13 Iúil an dáta deiridh le haghaidh iarratais agus tá maoiniú suas le €100,000 ar fáil le haghaidh oibreacha uasghrádaithe agus athchóirithe ar áiseanna pobail atá ann cheana féin.