Mayo

A former bakery, a vacant garda station and a disused schoolhouse are among 24 derelict and vacant sites nationwide that will be given a new lease of life thanks to a €4.5 million funding boost.

The 2023 CLÁR Programme is to provide a total of €6.2 million in funding for 152 schools, community and sports projects nationwide. Funding of €174,934 has been specifically provided for four projects on offshore islands in counties Galway and Mayo.

A total of €2 million in funding has been announced by the Department of Rural and Community Development to develop outdoor recreation at a county level.

50 new projects will each receive funding of up to €50,000 each to bring them to a shovel-ready stage.

The 21st annual Pride of Place awards took place in Armagh in November to honour individuals and groups dedicated to improving their local neighbourhoods, creating better places to live, work, and socialise.

During the 1990s, Iceland had some of the highest figures for substance use among young people in Europe. The alarming statistics sparked the development of the groundbreaking Icelandic Model for Primary Prevention of Substance Use, which has since been implemented in 30 other countries, including Ireland.

A 61-page report titled ‘Greater than Fear: A Community Based Response to Tackling Hate and Extremism’ was published in early September and draws on experience in five Irish towns countering hate and fascism.

An ambitious new ten-year national policy designed to support vibrant and sustainable island communities was launched by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys this morning.