700. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to ensure that funding for men’s sheds/women’s sheds is continued; if he will provide the €3000 operational grant as a permanent annual fixture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66505/26]

703. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the reason for the decision to withdraw the Men's Sheds Running Costs Grant for 2026; the reason this decision was communicated so late in the year; whether alternative funding will be made available to support Men's Sheds with essential costs such as rent and insurance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66703/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 700 and 703 together.

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 and Women's Sheds provide a space for men and women 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 and Women'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 and Women'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. 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.