Vol. 1028 No. 5
69. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the development of a rural-proofing mechanism, as outlined in Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53698/22]
I ask the Minister for an update in relation to the development of a rural-proofing mechanism, as committed to in Our Rural Future.
Our Rural Future is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades. The policy commits to developing an effective rural-proofing model within the lifetime of the policy. This will aim to ensure Departments fully consider the effects of new proposals on rural communities and the need to better target the particular challenges and opportunities facing rural areas.
Building on rural-proofing report my Department commissioned, I also recently hosted the 13th OECD international rural development conference. This event provided a further valuable insight on how the challenge of rural proofing is being addressed in other countries. To develop a rural-proofing model that is effective, it must be seen as a valuable tool to support the objectives of multiple Departments and not just the Department responsible for rural development. It must be focused on delivering positive outcomes for rural communities and the achievement of Government objectives.
My officials are in discussions with a number of Departments to pilot a new rural-proofing model as an aid to effective policymaking. This process will identify particular policy areas or initiatives that can benefit from the application of a rural lens to policy development. The pilot approach will serve to underpin the development of an effective, efficient, and implementable rural-proofing model that will support rural development and ensure we maximise the opportunities for rural areas to the greatest extent possible.
Last month, the Minister provided an update on this. She said the report was completed and that she hoped to receive it shortly. Will she tell us more about the next steps? She also mentioned this is to be done within the lifetime of the policy, which is until 2025. Will she provide us with more information on the timeframe?
The implementation of a rural-proofing mechanism is very important. The EU Commission has again downgraded the west and north west for a second time, which it now considers a lagging region. That is very concerning. It tells us the west and north west is not getting an equal share of investment and infrastructure. Alarm bells should be ringing given we have been downgraded to a region in transition and now to a lagging region, the only region in Ireland in such a situation. That gives reason for the need of a rural-proofing mechanism, and we must move on this as quickly as possible.
As I said, the development of a rural-proofing model is a key commitment in Our Rural Future, and work is progressing well on it in conjunction with other Departments. I do not want it to be a box-ticking exercise. We want other Departments to engage meaningfully, so it is important we get it right. We do hold other Departments to account through Our Rural Future. We have a work programme and actions for every year. I meet with the relevant Ministers in those Departments to make sure I hold them to account on their delivery for rural Ireland.
When I was appointed a Minister of this Government, I made a decision that the Department of Rural and Community Development would be kept as a stand-alone Department. It is very important that it has not been amalgamated with any other Department. We have benefited from that through the investment we have got for rural Ireland. The fact it is stand-alone Department is also a strong signal, from the Government and me, that we are committed to rural development.
In her response, will the Minister outline the next steps in relation to the report, which I presume she has received by now, and the work done by the consultants on that rural-proofing mechanism?
It is important it is a cross-departmental approach and that all Departments are held to account. That brings me back to the point about the emergency situation in the west and north west, where we are now seen as a lagging region. We need to turn that into something positive and take as much additional funding as we can get through Europe and make sure it is invested in the west and north west. We need to turn that situation around.
The Minister spoke about engaging with other Departments and holding them to account. They need to be held to account regarding the region status that is of concern. The rural-proofing mechanism is one way we can turn that around. Has there been a response to the change in regional status, and has the Minister engaged with other Departments in that regard?
Obviously, like the Deputy, I am aware of the change in the status of the Border and western region, but from my Department’s point of view, there has been unprecedented investment in that area. I am aware of the challenges faced by inland counties, such as my own county of Monaghan, the Deputy’s county of Roscommon, Leitrim, and Longford - although not in that region - and I have been focusing additional investment in those areas.
We are looking at developing a pilot scheme based on the report on rural proofing. I must note that the OECD conference was very impressed with our policy, Our Rural Future. The policy was held up as an example of best practice. Many people attended the conference, with 400 people attending from all over the world, including ministers from Canada, the US, Colombia, the Czech Republic, and other countries. The OECD said this policy could be a cut-and-paste job for other countries to follow. What we have here is a good policy. We review it and set targets every year. I hold the various Departments to account and will continue to do so.
70. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps her Department has taken to address the backlog of applications in the local improvement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53699/22]
I ask the Minister about the ongoing backlog within the local improvement scheme. We are all aware of the scheme and the demand for it. I know the Minister has increased funding to it, which is welcome, but there seems to be huge demand that is not being met in counties throughout the State. Will she provide us with an update on that?
The local improvement scheme, LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. Rural connectivity is an important element in Our Rural Future. Such roads represent a vital piece of infrastructure for rural residents, providing access to people’s homes and farms as well as outdoor amenities such as lakes, rivers or beaches.
LIS was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding in place. The scheme is administered locally by the relevant local authority, which is responsible for prioritising and selecting eligible applications within broad parameters set by my Department. I have prioritised the scheme in my Department, and this year alone I have allocated €22 million to LIS. While there are, of course, competing demands on finite resources, in four of the past six years, additional resources were directed to the scheme mid-year to address strong demand for the scheme across rural Ireland.
Since the scheme was reintroduced in 2017, aggregate investment has now surpassed the €100 million mark. I acknowledge there is strong demand for the scheme and in some counties local authorities have significant levels of applications on hand. I have asked my officials to engage with local authorities to ascertain what level of applications were in hand in each county and what could be delivered in 2023 should additional funding become available. I am satisfied that the roads local improvement scheme continues to play an important role in the delivery of our rural development policy, Our Rural Future.
When I was growing up, I lived somewhere with a lane nearly a mile long and I know the benefit of the LIS and the difference it can make to rural dwellers, in particular. It creates access, whether it is a milk or feed lorry or whatever else needs to get in and out of lanes. It is a good scheme and I am glad we have been able to provide additional funding for it.
I thank the Minister and acknowledge that she has put a focus on the scheme and there has been additional funding. She said the same thing last year about her Department reaching out to local authorities to see what they had on their books, what had not been completed and what they could complete by the end of the year. I presume from the response of the Minister that is happening again now. It would be useful for all of us to have the figures, local authority by local authority, regarding what is left and what can be completed by the end of this year and into 2023.
The Minister has said many times that she has engaged with the Department of Transport with a view to it providing additional funding to go along with the funding she provides through her Department. That would be very welcome. In the nicest way possible, I wish to ask whether she is meeting resistance from that Department. It previously funded the scheme and I do not see why it would not make a contribution. The Minister might be able to come back to me on that.
Roads were always funded by the Department of Transport. In fairness to Deputy Michael Ring, when he became Minister in the Department, he started to fund them. No more than Deputy Kerrane, we are rural Deputies and know the benefits. He created a fund within the Department of Rural and Community Development.
The Department of Transport has a very large capital budget, far in excess of what my Department has. I am putting 10% of my budget into LIS schemes via the capital budget. I have raised the matter with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on a number of occasions and have not made much progress yet. I am a firm believer that if you do not succeed, you try and try again. I will continue to keep after the Minister, Deputy Ryan, on this because that Department should match the funding. If it matched the fund I am putting in place, we would not be long getting rid of the list of LIS schemes. I spoke to representatives from Leitrim County Council the other day and it has cleared its backlog. I want to see how we can get rid of the backlog.
I presume the Minister does not have figures on the backlog and the number of applications that are live and have not yet been completed. I understand that is what her Department is gathering and the information would be helpful. Perhaps "resistance" is the wrong word, but I know the Minister has raised this matter a number of times with the Minister, Deputy Ryan. Obviously, all of us have a job of work to do in putting it across to him nicely that funding is badly needed. If we could clear the backlog, perhaps the funding provided by the Department of Rural and Community Development would be enough. A joint venture between both Departments would be helpful and there is a role to play for the Department of Transport. All of us, including the Minister, have a job of work to do to convince the Minister, Deputy Ryan, that the funding would be appreciated and well spent.
I appreciate the help of the Deputy in convincing people of the benefits of the scheme. I know all rural Deputies feel the same. The issue was raised in the House recently. Perhaps we can convince the Department of the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to help us deal with the backlog and get rid of it.
As I said, some counties are doing quite well and have nearly cleared their backlog. Others have more lanes than others. In my county of Monaghan, there are a serious number of lanes. Everybody seems to live in a lane when it comes to farming. That is how things developed over the years. It is important the councils give us their lists. When it comes to top-up money during the year, I write to local authorities to ask them what they can deliver by the end of the year. Some are ambitious and deliver, while others do not put in a request. It is up to local authorities to decide what they request and can deliver. It is important the money is spent when I give it to them. We will keep working on it.
71. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps she is taking to ensure the allocation of funding under the LEADER 2023-2027 programme considers the geographical size and population distribution of areas and awards funding proportionately. [53618/22]
LEADER is one of the key funding mechanisms for rural areas. In many cases, it is the only option for the scale of capital investment required. However, the funding allocation model disadvantages larger counties like Cork, which in geographical and population terms is multiples of some smaller counties. In the forthcoming LEADER programme, what measures is the Minister taking to ensure a more equitable and proportionate distribution of funding?
LEADER is a key programme in Our Rural Future and I am happy to confirm that the expression of interest stage to select the groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open. The allocations for each LEADER area have also been announced as part of this process. The procedure to select LEADER groups will be open, transparent and competitive. Central to the formation of the groups will be a clear partnership approach, with public and private interest groups coming together to deliver the programme in rural communities throughout Ireland.
As the Deputy will be aware, €180 million has been committed to the new LEADER programme for 2023 to 2027 and I can confirm that all of this funding will be allocated to the LEADER groups that will be appointed to deliver the new programme. A number of factors were considered when deciding on the funding allocations. These included providing a minimum allocation of €3 million to each subregional area, with the remaining funding distributed based on population and level of deprivation of the area. This ensures funding is targeted at the areas most in need of LEADER support. The views of stakeholders were also taken into account in this regard. Full details of the selection process and the funding allocation to each county are available on my Department's website.
It is now important that the key public and private stakeholders in communities throughout Ireland come together in partnership to deliver the new LEADER programme. I look forward to seeing the new programme being implemented and ensuring LEADER can continue to deliver real benefits to rural communities throughout Ireland.
I am raising this issue on behalf of concerned organisations and communities in Cork. A letter co-signed by the chairs of Cork local community development committees, LCDCs, all three of them Fine Gael councillors, calls for a fairer distribution of funding. Cork County Council's administrative area is divided into three LCDCs and the funding allocation needs to reflect that. The county-based system in the previous programmes has resulted in under-resourcing of Cork communities. In figures provided by the Fine Gael councillors, under the 2014 to 2022 allocations, County Cork, with a population of almost 400,000, received just under €40 million, while Waterford, with a population of 67,000, received €7.5 million and Roscommon, with a population of 64,000, received almost €9 million. Proportionately, Waterford receives three times as much as Cork and Roscommon almost four times as much. The funding distribution system for the new LEADER programme drastically needs reform and I ask the Minister to reconsider the distribution method.
The LEADER allocation for Cork is almost €21 million, up from €13.9 million in the previous programme, which is a 50% increase. It is the highest allocation in the country, so they should be pleased to see that.
My focus is on delivery. It is based on the population and level of deprivation of the area, so that is taken into consideration as well. The Deputy gave me the example of Roscommon, and in fairness to the county, when the figures are added up, it needs more investment. The western and Border area is also recognised by the EU as needing additional support. My focus is very much on delivery. The selection process is open and all of the details are available on the Department's website. Interested parties will have until 16 December to put in their expressions of interest. Cork has been allocated almost €21 million, which should keep them happy.
This is a serious issue with implications for many communities. The geographical size of the county has to be taken into consideration. LEADER funding is vital for rural areas, and many community centres, playgrounds and local amenities are only possible with such funding. Many communities do not even have the basics of a playground. I am working with Bandon and Skibbereen family resource centres, neither of which has a home and they are essential services. I raised it recently with a Minister who directed me towards LEADER. This is something that happens all the time.
County Cork should be treated on an equal basis with other areas. I am not seeking any special treatment, just that the funding awarded is proportionate. Cork County Council has worked with the All-Island Research Observatory in Maynooth University to provide analysis of the funding allocation, with suggestions for improving the distribution. I ask that the Minister works with them to ensure that LEADER 2023 to 2027 is a fair programme that does not disadvantage counties just because of their geographical size.
Cork's funding is up by 50%, which will make a considerable difference on the ground. Whether it is LEADER, the rural regeneration and development fund, the town and village renewal scheme, the outdoor recreation fund; CLÁR, the new community centre investment fund, the streetscape scheme or the community enhancement programme, there is a funding scheme for everything and each scheme makes a real and lasting difference in rural communities.
I have visited every county during my time as Minister. Great projects are funded under all of these programmes, many of which are in the Deputy's own county. Cork County Council and the LEADER companies in Cork are doing great work on the ground. I have not been to every bit of Cork but I have been to a good bit of it and it is great to see what is happening on the ground. The message I am getting back from communities is to keep the money coming because there has never been more funding in rural development. The level of funding is unprecedented. LEADER is one part of this approach to investment in rural Ireland. In fairness to Cork, it has been getting a fair share of funding, but it should be glad of this extra money.
72. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an assessment has been carried out on her Department's response to Covid in terms of the exclusion of some marginalised groups. [53734/22]
Have any assessments been carried out on the Minister's Department's response to Covid in terms of exclusion of some marginalised groups?
My Department introduced specific supports, interventions and funding packages in response to Covid-19, having assessed the emerging needs of urban and rural communities impacted by Covid-19. My Department was also instrumental in setting up the local authority community response forum, or community call forums, which had a particular focus on vulnerable people in our communities. A review of the effectiveness of these forums carried out by the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, concluded that the work and processes developed through community call have been effective in delivering support to vulnerable groups during the pandemic.
Other supports provided by my Department at that time included the Covid-19 stability fund, which supported 863 organisations in 2020 and 2021 with total funding of approximately €48.8 million. In 2020, €4.2 million was provided under the Covid-19 emergency fund, which targeted help at groups participating in the Government's community call initiative. The community enhancement programme provides vital supports to assist local groups to reopen their facilities post Covid-19. The programme provided €4.5 million funding in 2021 for small capital grants for the improvement of facilities. In November 2021, I launched the community activities fund. This €9 million fund was provided to support community and voluntary groups impacted by Covid-19 to help them with their bills and maintenance.
A number of the rural schemes delivered by my Department were also adapted to assist communities respond to the pandemic, including through accelerated funding under the town and village renewal scheme for measures such as outdoor meeting spaces and public dining areas. In 2020, the CLÁR programme placed a particular focus on supporting communities to deal with the impact of Covid-19. The scheme was broadened to allow projects that helped adapt community facility environs. The community services programme, CSP, which is also funded by my Department, supports more than 420 community organisations nationwide. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, my Department developed a €8.95 million CSP support fund to cover the period 2020 to 2021.
I commend the community call initiative, which I was involved with in Dublin West, where we delivered hundreds of meals and medication for people who were in dire need. What really struck me at the time was how isolated and vulnerable older people in particular were and those who had disabilities. I was at a recent launch of iCommunity with the Taoiseach and the Minister for Communities in the North, Ms Deirdre Hargey. I was struck by the Disability Action Network saying that 35% of social care had been impacted, more than half the people surveyed experienced disruption to accessing food and medication, and there was a notable decline in physical and mental well-being. We are still seeing the effects of that today. One of the issues is around the management of such effects. What did we do during Covid and what do we need to do post Covid to ensure that, if circumstances such as those arise again, we are in a better place to deal with them? There are many learnings.
The Deputy is right that there are many learnings from Covid. I met a group of women last week - I do not know whether you would call them women's sheds, hen's sheds, sisters' sheds or whatever - to see how we can develop a national organisation similar to the men's sheds, because women do not have such an organisation in place. One lady from Dublin said she lost her mother during Covid and she did not leave the house during that time. She just did not have the ability or the confidence to go outside. Somebody set up the sisters' sheds and invited her to go along. She told me it changed her life. Those are the types of interventions that make a difference, where you can go to a group.
We have learned a lot. Community call, as the Deputy said, was very successful. We need to take learnings as to how we can engage with communities. Local authorities were able to engage much more with communities during Covid. We always find it hard to engage with people who are marginalised and do not know about the services that are in place. It is about how we get in to support them.
I could not agree more. As an example, people within the drug community are especially marginalised. These would be people who are active drug users who are getting supports from community drug teams. There had been a fractious relationship at times between Government agencies and some of the community projects. All of that was washed away during Covid, however, because everybody recognised we needed to work together to ensure what we did supported those who are particularly marginalised and disadvantaged.
My concern is that some of those learnings are being lost and that State agencies are in some ways reasserting their silo to a certain extent. That is why we need a detailed study or report into how we all worked together, what worked very well, what did not and what practices and policies we can put in place to ensure that if a pandemic ever happened again, which it possibly could, we are ready for it and the State agencies take those learnings of the very good work during Covid and move them into present-day work.
The National Economic and Social Council report was positive and suggested lessons can be learned from the community call. The Deputy is right. He mentioned addiction. Two weeks ago I was in Fettercairn, out beside Tallaght, where there is a group called Connect. I think it is funded by the partnership. Its members go out at night, identify people who are vulnerable, bring them in and try to help them. The group does great work. It is working collaboratively with the partnership out there.
Siloing and empire-building should be banned. They should not exist. There should be collaboration. There is loads of work for everybody and a role for everybody but sometimes you find people like to expand their little space and that is not the way it should work. It is about working together.
