Jack Wall
Question:36 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development when the CLÁR programme will be up and running; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30157/01]
Written Answers. - CLÁR Programme.
In the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness the Government gave a commitment for a targeted investment programme in both urban and rural disadvantaged areas. CLÁR is the programme for revitalising rural areas and is up and running since 5 October 2001.
I have selected 16 areas to participate in the programme. My primary criterion for selecting areas was the greatest percentage loss of population between 1926 and 1996. These are, in general, the areas experiencing the most rural degeneration with a constant decline in population, withdrawal of services and high dependency ratios. I have also included the area which had a full cull of livestock due to foot and mouth disease recently, the Cooley Peninsula. The areas selected include parts of all the counties of Connacht-Ulster, parts of five counties in Munster and parts of four counties in Leinster. The average population loss in all these areas is 50% and the total population that will benefit from the programme is 283,000.
My aim is to complete the preparatory phase of the programme by the end of this year and that investment to these areas can begin to flow in 2002.