Funding of €28,800 has been allocated to local Men’s and Women’s Sheds, Cork North West Fine Gael General Election candidate Councillor John Paul O’Shea has said.
Cllr. O’Shea said: “My colleague Minister Michael Ring, the Minister for Rural and Community Development, has today confirmed that 372 Men’s & Women’s Sheds have been allocated a total of €500,000 from his Department in order to support the important community work done by these groups.
“I am delighted to confirm that funding has been allocated locally to a number of groups across Cork North West. These include: Charleville Men’s Shed (€1,600), Kanturk Men’s Shed (€1,600), Macroom Men’s Shed (€1,600); and within Cork City Council, Ballincollig Men’s Shed has been allocated €1,400.
“This funding will support these excellent local projects in the contribution they make to our local area. This capital funding will enable individual Men’s & Women’s Sheds to purchase equipment or to carry out minor works to improve their premises through the provision of small grants.
“I am delighted to see that Women’s Sheds have also received funding from the Government for the first times. I hope the number of Women’s Sheds continues to grow in the coming years.
“Men’s and Women’s sheds have become a vital element in the fabric of our communities and have done so much to tackle social isolation,” Cllr. O’Shea added.
Minister Ring said: “I introduced funding for Men’s Sheds 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.
“I have decided to extend this funding to Women’s Sheds. Having witnessed the exceptionally positive impact of Men’s Sheds in recent years, I’ve no doubt that the emergence of Women’s Sheds can only be a good thing for community life in Ireland.
“I’m delighted that 33 Women’s Shed Groups have availed of the funding on offer and I hope to see this number grow in coming years.”
