ALMOST a million and a half euros in regeneration funding has been awarded to 53 Limerick organisations.
The funding round confirmed that 100 projects will be supported this year through the Department of Housing, Local Government, and Heritage’s Economic and Social Invervention Fund (ESIF) – a cornerstone of the Limerick Regeneration Programme.
Among projects funded are homework clubs, support for children and teens with parents in prison, the Limerick Learning Hub, sensory and therapeutic play, wellbeing initiatives for older people, and fashion, arts, culture, music, and drama projects.
Organisations included in the lost list of recipients range from Barnardos, the Bedford Row Family Project, Garryowen CDP, Limerick City Build, the King’s Island Youth and Community Centre, Limerick Civic Trust, Limerick Theatre and Performance Hub (The Gaff), Moyross Residents Alliance, Moyross United Football Club, Narrative 4, Saoirse Addiction Treatment Centre, the Southill Hub, Southilll Family Resource Centre, St Munching’s Community Centre, The Haven Hub, and a great many more.
According to Limerick City and County Council, “these ESIF-backed initiatives work hand-in-hand with local communities to enhance quality of life and foster pride of place by delivering a wide range of services and supports”.
Projects funded under this year’s round were made under the following themes: education and learning; health, wellbeing, and ageing well; employability and work; families and youth at risk; and community development and safety.
Welcoming the €1.45m announcement, Mayor John Moran said: “This fund is about transforming lives across Limerick. It supports practical action that opens the doors to equal opportunity for all”.
“We are conscious that the ESIF funding model as we’ve known it is undergoing a review and our officials are continuing to engage with the Department on what this funding model will look like in the future.”
Since its inception, the Economic and Social Intervention Fund has been a driving force behind social and economic regeneration in Limerick. It has enabled the creation of new services tailored to evolving community needs, while also providing core funding for community hubs.
Regeneration director at Limerick City and County Council, Brian McCarthy, said this year’s funding “will deliver tangible benefits for communities across our regeneration areas in Limerick City”.
“The Economic and Social Intervention Fund has been a vital support for locally-led regeneration, enabling community organisations to respond to real social and economic needs, and its positive impact on communities is clearly evident.”