Men’s Sheds groups in Clare have received €11,782 from the latest round of the Community Enhancement Programme to carry out minor improvements to their premises.
Announcing details of the funding, Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey said that grants ranging from €1,299 to €838 had been approved for men’s sheds in Ennis, Ennis West, Clarecastle, Cora Caitlin, Shannon, Parteen, Sixmilebridge/Kilmurry, Doonbeg, Ennistymon and Mountshannon.
“Funding for Men’s Sheds was introduced in 2018 in recognition of the great support that they provide to men in communities across Ireland. Since its establishment less than ten years ago, the impact of the Men’s Sheds movement has been phenomenal.
“The emergence of Women’s Sheds is highlighted by the fact that 33 Women’s Shed Groups have availed of the funding on offer and I hope that it won’t be took long until we see a number of women’s Sheds operating in Clare.
“Men’s and Women’s Sheds are making an invaluable contribution to community life in Ireland. They provide great support to their thousands of members and have helped tackle the problem of social isolation. In many cases these groups have also become vital cogs in a variety of community initiatives such as the Tidy Towns competition and local community events.
“A relatively small amount of money can go a long way and investment in groups like Men’s and Women’s sheds will be put to excellent use in local communities throughout the country,” Deputy Carey added.
