The silent destruction of community growth

An average 35% reduction in funding for for community and voluntary organisations is having a detrimental impact on community development, writes Rory Hearne.

Communitites are the heart of this country. We invented co-operatives and the meitheal — where local people help each other in a not-for-profit way.

But the truth is our communities have been radically changed by the Celtic Tiger, the crash, and austerity. During the 1990s and 2000s consumerism and individualism, along with the expansion of vast housing estates with little community infrastructure, put a serious dent in community spirit.