Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 29 Jan 2003

Vol. 560 No. 1

Written Answers. - Designated Areas.

Paul McGrath

Question:

961 Mr. P. McGrath asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if in the context of the population decline in areas of north Westmeath, he will consider extending the CLÁR programme to include Fore, Collinstown, Drumcree and Delvin, County Westmeath. [1792/03]

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Éamon Ó Cuív)

Arising from the analysis of the 2002 population Census by NUI Maynooth, the Government decided on the additional areas for inclusion in the CLÁR programme and I announced these additions on 17 January 2003. The critical criterion in the review of the CLÁR programme was to maintain the 50% overall reduction and involved identifying and including any district electoral divisions with a 50% + population decline contiguous or near to existing CLÁR areas.

In the case of Westmeath, with the additional 12 district electoral divisions, the average population decline from 1926-2002 is 50.73%, which meets the criterion of the review. The population changes in the district electoral divisions referred to by the Deputy are as follows:

Fore East	28%
Delvin	+ 31.6%
Collinstown	+ 1%
Coole (Drumcree)	38.17%

Had these district electoral divisions been included, the average percentage population decline for Westmeath would have been 43.04% for the period 1926-2002.