Kells GAA club’s Immigrant Investor Programme boost

Gaeil Colmcille GAA Club in Kells has been accepted into the Immigrant Investor Programme (IIP), which it says will bring substantial investment to the club grounds at Grangegodden, Kells. The funding will support the development of a state-of-the-art facility, ensuring a lasting community resource for generations to come.

Last week, Gaeil Colmcille chairperson, Olivia Ferguson, announced that the club had received approval for significant funding through the IIP under an endowment scheme which allows for investment in sporting and community projects through the Department of Justice.

Addressing the club’s executive committee members, Ms Ferguson said that after a lengthy application process the club had received approval for the scheme to support the completion of the development of the Grangegodden grounds.

Confirmation was recently received that six of the ten donors sought had been approved for the scheme, with further updates due from those individuals on securing their funding.

The remaining four proposed donors have yet to be approved for the scheme. With each successful donor set to provide €400,000, it could lead to substantial funds becoming available to the club should all donors obtain approval and provide funding.

“While this is a fantastic opportunity for the club to develop facilities for our members, it will also provide excellent facilities for many people in the community to use for hosting events and meetings as well as making use of the recreational and sporting facilities on the grounds,” Ms Ferguson stated.

“We look forward to being able to deliver this for the people of Kells and the surrounding areas.”

She paid tribute to former chairpersons and executive members for all their work during what were challenging times since 2007 and thanked all members and local businesses who have continued to support the club throughout.

Ms Ferguson thanked those on the club’s facilities development committee for their hard work over the past four years in getting planning permission in place for the development and bringing the IIP application to this stage. She also acknowledged the support the club had received from local and national public representatives, without this help and guidance, the application would not have been successful.

The club will now embark on a significant fundraising drive to support with the various development, professional and running costs associated with the project. The tendering process will start once the funds have been secured with the aim of commencing construction work in early 2026. An open evening will be held in the coming months for members and the wider community to view the finalised plans in more detail.

Cllr Sarah Reilly, who had supported the application, expressed her excitement over this significant development for the Kells community.

“This will mean a significant investment in the Gaeil Colmcille grounds at Grangegodden,” she said. “The result will be a state-of-the-art facility that families, athletes, and community members of all ages will be able to enjoy for years to come,” she stated.

Reflecting on the origins of the project, she added: “When the idea of applying for inclusion in the scheme was first muted in my kitchen over three years ago, I thought it sounded a bit crazy. But it’s amazing what a bit of craziness, dogged perseverance, and a brilliant chairperson and committee can deliver.”

Cllr Reilly also emphasised the collaborative effort involved in securing the funding and expressed gratitude toward the national and local government officials who supported the project. “The funding is being provided through Minister Helen McEntee's Department, and it has been a pleasure working with her and with other local political and community representatives to secure this support for our community,” she said.

The IIP was introduced by the Irish Government in 2012 to encourage inward investment for the creation of business and employment opportunities in the State. It was a pathway for non-EEA nationals to secure immigration permission in Ireland on the basis of long-term investment in a range of options approved by Government under the Programme.

The programme was designed to encourage investors and business professionals from outside the European Economic Area to avail of opportunities of investing and locating their business interests in Ireland and acquire a secure residency status in Ireland.

Applicants to the IIP were required to be high net worth individuals with a personal wealth of at least €2 million. The IIP required applicants to invest a minimum of €1 million for a minimum of three years or €500,000 as part of an Endowment (or €400,000 as part of joint endowment). The funds used for an investment had to be from the applicant’s own resources and not financed through a loan or other such facility.

The Kells application was made prior to the closure of the scheme in February 2023 by the acting Minister for Justice, Simon Harris, following internal and external reviews. Since its inception, the programme approved investment of almost €1.252 billion that benefited many enterprises both economic and social, including community and sporting organisations.