Almost €45m in dormant accounts to benefit more than 50 disadvantaged groups

The €2.9m going towards youth and community justice projects will help set up two new youth diversion projects and an initiative with University of Limerick for young people with complex needs who are prolific offenders. Picture: Dan Linehan

More than 50 disadvantaged groups and projects across the country are to benefit from the distribution of almost €45m next year from the Dormant Accounts Fund.

It includes almost €780,000 to social inclusion projects, €6.5m for sports facilities in disadvantaged communities, and €2.9m for youth justice services.

The fund is based on monies in bank accounts that have not been active in over 15 years.

The €780,000 fund for social inclusion will see €108,000 going towards Cumann Na Daoine in Youghal, Co Cork, aimed at addressing “high levels of deprivation” in certain small areas in the town.

The €2.9m going towards youth and community justice projects will help set up two new youth diversion projects and an initiative with University of Limerick for young people with complex needs who are prolific offenders.

A total of €1.5m is being allocated to a wide range of projects for young people in care or leaving care.

Almost €2.3m is going towards youth and family initiatives, including Tusla early intervention and support for parents from the Travelling community, as well as play therapy, child psychological support, poverty, and racism programmes.

A fund of €380,000 is going towards school attendance in Deis schools, with a separate €360,000 fund to target educational disadvantage in Traveller/Roma communities.

A further separate fund of €350,000 is going towards a Tusla education support pilot, expanding it from four schools to up to 60 schools.

A sum of €200,000 is going towards the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel (One) to continue its work to combat loneliness and homelessness among former Defence Forces personnel.

A total of €900,000 has been provided under the Dormant Accounts Fund towards One and a sister body since 2000, which enabled the construction of a new residential home in Cobh, Co Cork.