The programme for Government includes an undertaking, which was also given by the previous Government, to legislate for a special fund for community centres to enable them to deal with fire safety and other health and safety issues that emerged in the past 12 to 15 months. Will this fund cover the entire works required to allow those centres to open and remain open?

In my area, two centres in Hartstown and Huntstown have each raised tens of thousands of euro from the local community, but, as we know, that well has dried up. One can only go to the well a certain number of times. These community centres are not under the local authority and, as such, rely exclusively on funding they raise, as well as fees collected from those who use them. That income will be significantly impacted upon. The centres are more than 30 or 40 years old and in dire need. This is not just a local issue in the constituency of Dublin West, it affects centres throughout the State.

I am not in a position to sanction grants for specific community centres, but the wider point made by the Deputy is valid. One of the reasons we are creating the idea of a community centre fund is that, historically, sports and other organisations had access to funding, but community centres often had difficulty accessing funds outside of local authorities which might provide some funding. It has always proved very difficult for community centres in general to access a direct channel for applying for a capital grant, for example. We would like to develop a fund to facilitate that in a more transparent way. One of the newly appointed Ministers of State will have responsibility for urban affairs and there may be avenues through which support can be provided to the centres identified by the Deputy.