26 groups in Clare will be funded under the Community Climate Action Programme with the county securing an allocation of over €800,000.
Under the new community climate action fund, €808,636 has been awarded to projects in Co Clare.
This fund is for organisations and community groups with projects and initiatives which address the challenge of climate change. The overall objective of the Community Climate Action Programme is to support and empower communities, in partnership with Clare County Council, to shape and build low carbon and sustainable communities in a coherent way to contribute to national climate and energy targets.
Under Strand 1 of the programme (Building Low Carbon Communities), a total of €572,000 has been allocated to community groups around the county.
Groups funded under this strand are, Bodyke Tidy Towns (€5,882.85); Bridge United AFC (€36,180); Carrigaholt Development Association (€30,259.66); Clarecastle Community Development (€11.994); Clooney Spancilhill CDG (€13,581); College Green Residents Association (€1.047.74); Corofin Tidy Towns (€6,500); Cratloe Community Council (€9,770); Doonbeg Tidy Towns (€9,194.14); Ennis Mens Shed (€38.058.26); Ennis Tidy Towns (€20,000); Inagh Development Association (€80.000); Inch Tidy Village (€766.31); Lisdoonvarna Fáilte (€36,869); Mike McTigue Community Centre (€8,284); Obair Newmarket-on-Fergus (€7.964.25); Ruan Tidy Towns (€3,788); Scariff Rugby Club (€12.507.70); Shannon Tidy Towns (€31,554); Smith O’Briens GAA and Camogie Club (€65,000); St. Joseph’s GAA Miltown Malbay (€30,000); Waterworld Kilkee (€100.000); and West Coast Surf Club (€9.249.09).
Three Clare projects received funding from Strand 1a of the fund (Shared Island Community Climate Action). These are Crusheen GAA, Feakle GAA and Clare GAA. These projects received €236,636 in funding. The Strand 1a projects supports cross-border and all-island community climate action partnerships between community organisations in County Clare and Northern Ireland. These projects will work in partnership with Derry GAA, St. Patricks GFC Greencastle and Trillick St. Macartan’s GAC with the Northern Irish partner receiving 50% of the funding. Clare GAA are working in partnership with Derry GAA with an allocation of €36,636 while a €100,000 allocation has been granted for the links between Crusheen GAA and Trillick GAC and also Feakle GAA and Greencastle GAA.
Community energy, travel, food and waste, shopping and recycling, local climate and environmental action are the five themes that the projects will deliver on.
Cathaoirleach of Clare County Council, Cllr Alan O’Callaghan (FF) stated, “It is clear that communities in Co Clare have a huge interest in taking climate action. The groups funded as part of the Community Climate Action Programme will provide leadership to their communities and be a focal point of local climate and environmental action”.
Groups funded “will inspire even greater interest in climate action in their communities,” Chief Executive of the Council, Pat Dowling predicted.
Alan Farrell, Director of Services, Physical Development Directorate, Clare County Council, explained, “These projects present an opportunity for local community groups and organisations, supported by Clare County Council, to scale up community climate action throughout Co Clare. This will enable climate action at a local level and provide a template for other groups and individuals to help create a more sustainable future for all of us”.
Speaking at a meeting of the Shannon Municipal District, the Council’s climate action co-ordinator, Morgan Lahiffe described the fund as “a real opportunity for communities to get money and funding to carry out climate actions in their community”. He told elected members that “the Shannon Municipal District has done well out of it”.
Clonlara’s omission was criticised by Cllr Michael Begley (IND). “The biggest group we have in our community, we have three elements of operation, a community centre, community childcare and the development of a community graveyard, because of the fact that we attract Government funding under the childcare elements we seem to be barred from a variety of grants because we’re seen as getting Government aid already. We’ve had numerous applications over the last two to three years”.
Lahiffe explained, “It is my understanding that you would not be barred from community climate action programme”. He added, “the funding is distributed on population and nothing else other than that, there was a small window of six months to get a climate office in place and to meet communities. We had €2m worth of applications for a €750,000 fund”.
