696. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the reason the grant for Men's Shed running costs is being cut in 2026; the total cost of this grant scheme in 2025; and if he is aware of the crucial role Men's Sheds play in communities throughout the country. [66336/26]

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is very supportive of both Men’s Sheds and Women’s Sheds. Indeed, I can assure the Deputy that I am very conscious of the important role that these groups play in communities across the country. Men’s Sheds provide a space for men of all ages to come together on a regular basis in a safe, comfortable and inclusive environment.

My Department provides funding to Men’s Sheds under various funding supports, including:

• The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP);

• The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2024 - 2028; and

• The LEADER programme.

Since 2018, under my Department’s Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) and its iterations, Men’s Sheds have been allocated over €2.7 million, to assist with building upgrades and the purchase of equipment.

My Department also provides funding directly to the Irish Men's Shed Association (IMSA) under the Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO). The SSNO provides multi-annual funding towards core costs of national, community and voluntary organisations. The current iteration of the SSNO commenced on 1 July 2026, with funding of €297,766 over the three-years and 6-month period being provided to the IMSA.

In addition, since 2022, my Department has also provided over €2.3 million in current funding directly to the IMSA for onward distribution to individual Men's Sheds.

The IMSA was allocated €1 million in 2025 for running costs incurred from 1st May 2024 to 30th April 2025. They drew down €200,000 in December 2025, and the remaining €374,598.16 funding was drawn down over the early part of 2026. To note part of the funding distributed in 2025 was funding the IMSA had on hand from previous funding rounds. In total the IMSA distributed €755,163.45 between late 2025 and early 2026 to 369 sheds for expenditure incurred between 2024 and 2025.

I recently met with representatives of IMSA to discuss this funding and I have asked the IMSA for further information. On Monday 21st September I received a new proposal from the IMSA in relation to the distribution of the funding and, following a review of these proposals, I will engage with the IMSA.

Finally, the Deputy can be assured that I and my Department are totally committed to the work of Men's Sheds and also Women's Sheds on the ground. Given that the current distribution of funding has been identified by many individual sheds as cumbersome and being a burden, when considering the future allocation mechanism for Men's Sheds, my priority is to ensure that the process is streamlined for the Sheds themselves and that funding is targeted and distributed in an effective and efficient manner.