Vol. 1031 No. 3
6. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if further progress has been made with regard to the purchase and location of a new library for Dunleer, County Louth, given the large increase in local population and the welcome increase in the numbers attending the current facility over the past number of years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62718/22]
I very much welcome the decision by the Department to build a new library in Dunleer. I welcome the decision of the Minister working with the county council. The former Bank of Ireland branch will be occupied by a new and, I hope, expanded library for the community. It is badly needed. I ask the Minister to expand on this.
I thank Deputy O'Dowd for raising this matter. The Department is responsible for policy on public libraries. The provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the development of a new public library in Dunleer is, first and foremost, a matter for Louth County Council. I understand that Louth County Council has been exploring options for the improvement of library services in Dunleer as a result of increased usage and membership. However, no specific proposals in this regard have been received by the Department from the council.
All buildings used for the provision of public library services are required to comply with the requirements of the Department's public library standards and benchmarks, including the requirement that the minimum size for a new branch serving a population of 3,000 within the catchment area should be at least 500 sq. m, and that new public library branches should be centrally and prominently located and offer a multifunctional meeting, event and study space. All proposals for new public libraries are also required to be progressed through the Department's four-stage capital management process.
My Department is working with the Local Government Management Agency's library and development unit to finalise a new strategy for the development of our public libraries. It is also planned to launch a new libraries capital plan next year. In that context, my Department looks forward to engaging with Louth County Council on this.
The Deputy will, of course, be delighted because this is a matter he has raised with me on several occasions. One of the buildings announced yesterday was an old bank building in Dunleer, which my Department provided funding for the local authority to purchase. I do not see any reason why that would not be a perfect building in due course. It may require extra work and probably needs to be made bigger but I am sure the Deputy will be talking to Louth County Council about that.
The Minister has it exactly right. The Department's policy of using vacant buildings in small rural towns, such as Dunleer, a growing rural town, will make a significant difference and show increasing confidence in the community. They already have a library service in what was the old railway station. Hopefully, when they move out of there and into the new library, which I appreciate will take some time, we will have a new railway station in Dunleer, a town that is rapidly expanding. There was further news there on land owned by the local authority that may be used for additional housing. Dunleer is a vibrant community and its sustainable energy community would be directly opposite in the new market house. Eugene Conlan is an active community leader there. The whole community is very happy with this proposal. By working with people like Martin Naughton, who is a great supporter of community development in County Louth and Dunleer in particular, we could have a fantastic library in Dunleer and a new railway station. I know the latter is not the Minister's responsibility but I will be pushing for that later.
It was great that under the building acquisitions measure, some €300,000 was approved for Louth County Council to purchase the old Bank of Ireland building in Dunleer. Funding under the measure is for the purchase of derelict and vacant buildings. That money is only for the purchase of buildings, but if Louth County Council decides to develop the building into a library - the Deputy knows better than I do as he has raised this with me on several occasions - the council will need to make it a bit bigger. The door will be open in my Department in supporting the council through the libraries fund, which amounts to approximately €29 million and supports 17 projects, the My Open Library initiative and a smaller-scale capital works programme.
Louth County Council confirmed in August that it is exploring that option, which is very important. It is through local authorities and Departments working together and bringing on board the community that they will restore vibrancy and dynamism to villages and towns that had lost it in the past. The Minister's Department has been particularly active in looking after smaller towns with a population under 10,000. This is a good start to a new Dunleer. The need for the new railway station, which may be under the remit of a different Department, is absolutely essential. The fact that the library will be leaving its current building will, therefore, provide a vacant space for more modern commuter use into the future.
It is expected a call for proposals for the new libraries capital programme will be issued in the new year. That will run from 2023 to 2027. I would say to the Deputy to get Louth County Council looking at this. It should get the finger out and get the plans in because the call will be issued. I am happy to support the council in any way I can but it will have to come from the council. The Deputy is very fortunate to have people of the calibre and generosity of Martin and Carmel Naughton.
Absolutely.
When I was the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, they were great contributors to the arts. What they contributed to this country in philanthropic support has been outstanding. The Deputy has a good man in his corner there. I have no doubt he will see the railway station, even though it is not under the remit of my Department, there very soon.
7. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the CLÁR areas will be extended; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62767/22]
The CLÁR programme was established in 2001 and at that time, the areas were identified on the basis of areas that had suffered due to population decline. To my knowledge, there was only one extension to the original CLÁR programme, which occurred in 2006 and was based on the 2002 census. The Minister will be aware from my correspondence with the Department and parliamentary questions I have tabled that I have been calling for an extension to the programme. At what stage is the consultation process at on a possible extension to this very important programme, particularly for small rural communities?
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. The CLÁR programme provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures.
The CLÁR 2022 programme was launched in February this year and I am delighted to say that the overall amount awarded under all measures of the 2022 programme was a record €12.2 million with 292 projects being supported. A review of CLÁR areas nationally was undertaken in 2021 using the 2016 census of population data. The review examined the most recent changes in population patterns throughout the country on the basis of the 2016 data. It also examined the approach to developing the existing CLÁR designations, which is based on 2002 data, and considered how changes in population since then impacted on designations.
It is clear from the review that many areas have seen population growth in the relevant period rather than decline and, indeed, the most recent census data published by the Central Statistics Office point to population growth across all counties since 2016. The details of the review are being considered by my Department before any decisions are made on areas that are designated as eligible for CLÁR.
I hope the review process can be expedited. I know from speaking to my colleague, Deputy Ó Cuív, the architect of the original CLÁR programme, that population decline was the main measurement in identifying areas at that time. It was always his opinion, and that of others involved in drafting the programme, that as the programme developed and brought investment to areas, other criteria should also be factored into the assessment of areas under consideration for inclusion.
The Minister will be aware that, thankfully, there has been population growth in our constituency, particularly in County Cavan, continuously since the early 1990s, and in Monaghan. There has also been great growth in employment as well as population. We suffered a decline in our population for far too many decades and, thankfully, we now have the reverse.
Along with population growth, there are also additional pressures on local amenities and social infrastructure. Both the Minister and I have received representations from different communities and are aware that where a school, such as a small rural primary school, has developed and the population has grown, there in an increase in demand for services. Such schools cannot avail of assistance towards the development of a playground etc. In areas where there has been a welcome growth in population, there should still be other criteria attached to the assessment of areas under consideration for inclusion in CLÁR.
The Deputy and I both know the benefits of CLÁR funding well. The Deputy has been on to me about different projects. Kilnaleck recently received €50,000 for the upgrade of the playground and St. Anne's National School's parents' association got €45,000 to build a multi-use games area, MUGA. Lavey Community Group got €50,000 to provide wheelchair access. The Brackley Lake Geopark Amenity Area, with which the Deputy will be extremely familiar, received €50,000, and Ballymachugh GAA and Sheelin Park, another community the Deputy will know, got €23,000 for an astro turf carpark.
The grants are small, as the Deputy and I are aware, but they are very important to these communities. The grants are simple enough to get, in that one applies to the local authority which assesses the application and sends it on to my Department for us to work on it. Cavan town, Clonervy, Moynehall and Ballyhaise are the only areas not included in CLÁR-----
Go raibh maith agat.
I will come back to the Deputy.
We have all been supportive of groups working very hard to draw down extra funding. We know when groups get public funding, it enables them to raise funding through their own fundraising initiatives. As well as being an important financial contribution, it is a great encouragement to groups. The Minister mentioned Clonervy which is the Castletara-Ballyhaise area. That is one area with a small enough population. It could not avail of assistance towards the development of a school playground. Thus, it is one of the areas I wish to see different criteria being brought in with regard to assessment of areas that may be included in the CLÁR programme in the future.
I am happy to take on board the Deputy's suggestions of other criteria we can look at for areas that are not included. We did a review and we found the population had actually increased, which is good to see, but it is also important to say there are other funding streams from my Department. The Deputy will be very familiar with the community centres investment fund and the good support communities are getting from it because only last week we made the announcement. Some €33 million has been invested in the upgrade and development of 270 community centres nationwide. I know the Deputy was very anxious a number of those community centres be supported. I was glad we were in a position to support a number of the centres the Deputy had mentioned. We continue to keep all of these things under review.
8. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has engaged with representatives from island communities regarding the establishment of an island-specific local action group under the LEADER programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62465/22]
The Minister will be aware that islanders and their representatives, including Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann, have been seeking a specific stand-alone subregional area for the islands when it comes to LEADER. What engagement, if any, has the Minister's Department had? Deputy Connolly referred to the presentation here last month by islanders and their representative bodies to seek this stand-alone, specific subregional area with regard to LEADER. Has the Department engaged with the islanders and their representatives on this matter?
The LEADER programme is a key intervention which will help underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future. I am happy to confirm that preparations are now well advanced for the implementation of the new LEADER programme for the period 2023 to 2027. As these preparations have progressed, the Department has engaged on an ongoing basis with the representatives from the stakeholder organisations on the design of the new programme. This process has included direct engagement with representatives working with island communities.
The new LEADER programme will continue to be based, in the main, on areas aligned with county boundaries. However, it is important to note that I am very well aware of the views of the island communities on LEADER and of the important and beneficial role LEADER can play on the islands. With this in mind, I have introduced a number of new requirements for the groups that will deliver the new LEADER programme on the islands to ensure the voice of island communities is heard and plays an important role in the next LEADER programme.
I can assure the Deputy that the important contribution island communities make to rural and island development has been taken into consideration in the design of the new LEADER programme and I am confident LEADER can continue to make a real contribution to island communities in the years to come.
Clearly, the Minister's Department engaged but, unfortunately, it did not listen. One only has to look at the spending on LEADER and the difference it made to the development of the islands when there was a specific local action group, LAG, in the period 2007 to 2013. More than €527,000 was spent on Mayo islands in that period compared to €129,000 in the last round of LEADER. If one looks at the Galway islands, it is very stark, in that €1.5 million was spent in the period where they had their own LAG versus €197,000 of expenditure in the last round of LEADER. That is a decline of €1.3 million, which is considerable money and has a considerable impact on the islands. It is extraordinary that in the 1990s, 30 years ago, Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann was recognised as a LEADER company but we have fallen back so far. This is completely in contradiction to the new islands policy and I ask the Minister to look at this again.
Is rud é seo atá ardaithe agam agus ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Kerrane, go rímhinic leis an Aire. Nuair a bhí sí ag plé an méid a bhaineann le LEADER le roinnt blianta anuas, bhíomar á rá go soiléir go dteastaíonn ceantar foréigiúnach ó na hoileáin. We have been raising this for some time. I understand the Minister said she has engaged with the islands but the reality is she has not listened to them. The islanders have been very clear about this. It is a totally different situation for islands. My colleague, Deputy Kerrane, outlined how the funding has drastically decreased for the islands but the situation of islanders is not being taken into consideration either. The administration of LEADER on the islands cannot be done correctly unless there is proper funding in place because, of course, people having to travel overnight to the islands increases the burden as well.
I have a question later on this and I am coming in now in case it is not reached. I am not sure why the question was not grouped but that is the privilege of the Department. I hear the Minister telling me that she listened to the islanders. When I visited a packed AV room meeting, they told me that for 38 years the islands have been fighting to be recognised as a subregional area and socioeconomic development specific to the offshore islands, and so on. They tell us there is no basis in EU rules or regulations for precluding the Irish islands from being recognised as a subregional group. Tá siad ag streachailt ar feadh 40 bliain chun an t-aitheantas seo a bhaint amach. They have specifically asked for the recognition as a subregional group. I welcome the Minister having listened and made some changes but that is not what they have asked for. It is especially important if we are serious about a new plan for the islands that will ensure their continuation in a sustainable way.
We listened, but certain stakeholder groups have expressed their preference that the new LEADER would include a dedicated LAG for island communities. A dedicated island LAG is not included in the model for the new LEADER programme. However, I am aware island communities have particular needs and priorities and the LEADER programme can play a key role here in the context of the emerging national islands policy. In recognition of this, a number of important elements are included in the new LEADER model. Any group selected to deliver LEADER in an area that includes island communities will be required to include representatives of the island communities in the decision-making process of the LAG, including our LEADER strategy, specific actions to cater for the challenges faced by island communities developed in consultation with the communities and indicative budgets in their LEADER strategy for the implementation of such actions. We have listened and taken on board concerns. This is a good arrangement that will benefit the islands because they will have a specific role in LEADER groups.
The time has elapsed for this question but we will probably reach Question No. 15 when we will come back to it.
9. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps that her Department is taking to address poverty and social exclusion across Ireland. [62730/22]
13. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures that her Department is taking to address poverty and social exclusion in rural Ireland. [62468/22]
Across north-west Cork, a range of vital community groups and initiatives provide wonderful support to many communities. They are people who would otherwise find themselves socially excluded. These groups include IRD Duhallow, Westgate Foundation, Macroom Senior Citizens, and Coiste Tithíochta Uíbh Laoghaire Teo., to name but a few. They help to tackle social inclusion and poverty locally. This winter, they will face higher operating costs, elevated fuel costs, increased electricity bills and so on. They need to be supported to help social inclusion in the area.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 9 and 13 together.
My Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. My Department's social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, is our country's primary social inclusion programme. The current programme began on 1 January 2018 and will run until the end of 2023. The programme provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies. SICAP is managed at a local level by 33 local community development committees with support from local authorities. It is implemented nationally by 46 local development companies. I was delighted to secure an increase of €1.3 million under budget 2023, increasing the annual funding to €44.3 million. Additionally, €10 million is being provided under SICAP from budget 2023 to allow local development companies to continue to support arrivals from Ukraine.
My Department also funds a range of other programmes that target those most in need, including the empowering communities programme, the community development pilot programme and the place-based leadership programme, all of which seek to address the toughest challenges experienced in disadvantaged areas. Another measure in this vein is the new funding rate allocation model for the community services programme, CSP, currently being introduced. CSP organisations that are operating in areas of high disadvantage, employing individuals from the prescribed programme target groups, will benefit from the higher funding rate category.
A range of other programmes in my Department focus on social exclusion. We support the public participation networks, PPNs, nationally. One of the three pillars under that is the social inclusion pillar. My other Department has a roadmap for social inclusion too. I will not talk too much about that. The main aim of that is to have increased incomes and improved public services. We have the senior alert scheme. A number of organisations under the scheme to support national organisations in the voluntary sector, SSNO, work in the area too. Under the Dormant Accounts Fund, which we published last month, €54 million was granted to 44 projects across all Departments in that area. I note the Deputy's core question is on the slightly different matter of energy costs, which I will pick up on in the supplementary answer.
Organisations such as Coiste Tithíochta Uíbh Laoghaire Teo., Macroom Senior Citizens and Westgate Foundation deliver meals on wheels and provide vital support in many communities. They recently outlined how they feel they will end up having to withdraw many supports because they will run out of funding later next year. They are facing higher operating, energy and fuel costs, and many more costs. I acknowledge the community support fund and the social inclusion and community activation programme, as well as the new community and voluntary energy support scheme. They are welcome. However, there are gaps. Some community groups are slipping through those gaps. A building might be owned by an education and training board. There might be a number of other reasons. Funding is being released in a number of tranches for these schemes. Will groups that have not got funding be carried forward? Will the Minister of State modify the scheme so that groups which have been disqualified or are unable to get funding will be eligible for it in later rounds and be supported in that way? I understand that not all applications to the community and voluntary energy support scheme were granted. The social inclusion and community activation programme funding was allocated as part of budget 2023, so it will not become available until later next year. Is there a way to advance that into the early part of the year? Many of these groups will have, and have already, suffered from those inflated energy costs.
There are many strands to the Deputy's question and many different funding schemes. I will try my best in the time I have to assure the Deputy that we have constructed two different models in our Department to try to capture everyone with regard to energy costs. The Deputy mentioned the community and voluntary energy support scheme. We have reopened that as of Tuesday and tweaked it because there were groups that we were not catching. The Deputy might check in on the eligibility for that. There were some organisations that had a large number of community halls. For example, a Catholic diocese might have had 70 or 80 halls in an area. The system was not set up adequately to capture all of them in an efficient way so we tweaked that. It has been reopened until 20 January. There are other groups which we are keeping an eye on. We want to hear who is falling between the cracks. The support scheme that is being run through the local community development committees is aimed at capturing smaller groups which may not have legal status but which do good work and pay bills.
Depending on the programme and organisation, another Government Department might have the most relevant energy support scheme. I keep thinking of IRD Duhallow. It is the engine in Deputy Moynihan's area when it comes to much of the social inclusion work and I commend it. While I mentioned the increased SICAP allocation for 2023, the allocation for this year was 10%, which is the largest increase in allocation that SICAP has ever got. I secured it in last year's budget. I would like to hear if there are funding issues with SICAP. It should be adequately funded for this year. There are issues in using up some of the allocation for this year in other areas. If the Deputy can give me detail on who is falling through the cracks, we would like to hear it because we want to ensure we capture everyone who is dealing with increased costs.
Tá líon mór grúpaí pobail áitiúla, lena n-áirítear coiste tithíochta i gCléire, coiste tithíochta an oileáin agus go leor eile, ag freastal ar phobail inár ndúiche. Is pobail iad sin atá thíos leis. Tá na grúpaí seo ag cur an dinnéir, córas iompair agus go leor eile ar fáil. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go mbeadh gach foinse mhaoinithe a bhféadfadh tacaíocht a thabhairt do na grúpaí sin ar fáil dóibh agus nach mbeidís fágtha ar lár.
It is vital that those different community groups can be funded. I acknowledge that the Minister of State is taking lessons from that earlier round and possibly making improvements on the more recent ones. I asked about SICAP under budget 2023, which would not be expected to be spent for some months yet. Can that be advanced so it is ready to release to groups at the earliest possible time? In many areas, they are already suffering from those higher costs.
I can certainly look into how soon it can be released but it will be in 2023. I would be interested to hear where the issues were with SICAP allocation because there was a large increase last year. The safety net for many smaller groups will be through the allocation that we are giving to local authorities, which they will disburse through their local community development committees. We have allocated €362,000 to Cork County Council. I am not sure what stage the county council is at in opening that. It should be soon if it is not open already. People should be able to submit applications to that. I ask the Deputy to let us know if anyone has fallen through the cracks. The community and voluntary energy support scheme is something we had not done before. We did not know who or how many would apply for it. We were open to tweaking it and have done so. We thought we were catching everyone but I ask the Deputy to let me know if someone has fallen through the cracks.
11. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the roll-out of the towns first policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62464/22]
I ask the Minister of State for an update of the roll-out of the town centres first policy. Will he provide an update on it? I understand it has 33 actions. Will he tell us about the recruitment for town regeneration offices across our local authorities?
The town centre first policy is a major cross-Government initiative that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. Key to this is the establishment of the national implementation office to assist in the delivery and implementation of the policy and to co-ordinate stakeholder engagement at a national level. This office is also responsible for supporting town regeneration officers in driving the implementation of the policy at a county level. The national implementation office has now been established and the head of the office appointed. Similarly, local authorities around the country are in the process of appointing town regeneration officers who will drive the development of town centre first plans at local level.
Central to the town centre first approach is the range of support funding in place and this includes the Department's town and village renewal scheme. Indeed, the Minister yesterday announced over €27 million in approvals under the scheme. This was in addition to the €115 million announced in November for 23 regeneration projects across rural towns under the Department's rural regeneration and development fund. These projects focus on combatting vacancy and dereliction by regenerating iconic town centre buildings such as old hotels, banks, schools and courthouses and are thus central to the town centre first approach.
The new oversight and advisory group for town centre first policy is also due to meet for the first time next week to ensure there is clear stakeholder visibility on the implementation of the policy. The Department remains committed to ensuring the continued roll-out of the town centre first policy will work to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages, as set out in Our Rural Future.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Those town regeneration officers are going to be critical to the roll-out of this policy and will have a key role in ensuring all actions are implemented. Due to their being based in their own areas through the local authorities, they will have good knowledge of the situation on the ground and the towns in question. Is there a timeline for having all those officers in place and appointed?
On the Croí Cónaithe scheme, it was raised with me last week that you cannot get the €30,000 or €50,000 granted from this fund until the end of works. Would it be possible to look at that and perhaps at the possibility of providing that funding in stages? I do not know of too many builders, especially in rural areas, who would have that level of money up front to assist somebody who owns a property, or has bought one.
I thank the Deputy. I will give an update. We want the regeneration officers appointed as soon as possible. The money has been allocated so the authorities need to do this as soon as possible. We have nine appointed and three are expected to be in place early in the new year as well, but there are still a few to appoint.
I will have to liaise with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage on Croí Cónaithe as it is not our scheme. I acknowledge it is envisaged the plans will cover the importance of place-making, town centre living and the social and economic purpose of the town. They should respond to emerging opportunities, such as those linked to remote working, climate action and digitalisation. The plans will also be central to addressing vacancy and dereliction. In addition to developing the plan, the funding can be used to cover any underlying analysis that may be undertaken to inform the development of the plan, capacity-building required locally for the town team or the initial delivery of some small interventions in the town, where the budget allows. This is the €100,000 allocation the 26 towns have got. The Deputy will be aware there were some in her constituency, namely Strokestown and Gort, I believe.
I welcome that funding. This is an important policy, especially for towns in rural areas that really suffered after the 2008 crash and throughout that period. In many cases they are yet to recover from that. There is much vacancy and dereliction across many rural towns and I have no doubt this policy, once implemented fully, will make a difference but putting those regeneration officers in place and ensuring they are there as soon as possible will be key to that.
On the Croí Cónaithe towns fund, I appreciate it is under the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, but it is mentioned in the policy. I was surprised because if one is looking at putting a €30,000 grant into a building, it would be unusual for a local builder, especially those in rural areas, to have that level of money to put in while the homeowner is waiting on the grant and will not get it until the end. I thought that was unusual and that giving the grant in stages should be looked at. The builder who is doing the work should obviously be verified, but I suggest it be looked at
I thank the Deputy. The point is taken. I will take it back to the Minister. We in the Department are part of an oversight group together with the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Local Government Management Agency, LGMA, the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Irish Water, the Irish Local Development Network, ILDN, Irish Rural Link, Chambers Ireland, and there is a local enterprise office representative and the National Transport Authority, NTA, as well. We are all around the table and can bring issues like that up where it is ostensibly the role of one Department but really it impacts policy as a whole. It is important we maintain pressure on the local authority to recruit the regeneration officers as soon as possible because we need them on the ground as soon as possible.
14. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the town and village renewal scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62737/22]
We had some very positive news this week on the town and village renewal scheme. I ask the Minister to provide the House an update on the scheme and the announcement.
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The town and village renewal scheme aims to assist with the rejuvenation of rural towns and villages throughout Ireland, making them more attractive places to live, work and visit. In line with the commitment in Our Rural Future, the 2022 scheme prioritised the renovation of derelict and vacant buildings in our town centres with a view to bringing them back into use. Since it was first introduced in 2016 over €149 million has been allocated to more than 1,600 projects across Ireland. It has supported a range of activities, from improving public realm areas to initiatives such as the development of enterprise hubs and remote working facilities. These projects have been identified and developed by local community groups and businesses in conjunction with their local authorities.
Each year the priorities for the scheme are reviewed and revised as appropriate by my Department. This year priority was given to projects that brought vacant and derelict buildings and sites back into use as multipurpose spaces to make our town and village centres more vibrant and attractive places to live and work. I was delighted to announce details of allocations worth €27 million under the scheme yesterday. This incorporates a wide range of locally-driven projects that will breathe new life into towns and villages across rural Ireland. Full details of all the approved projects are available on my Department's website.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I certainly want to thank her for this week's announcement. In her reply she mentioned vacancy and dereliction and how the Government is prioritising the scourge this represents in many communities, towns and villages. It is important to note the amount of funding - €149 million - going in to support these types of projects. That demonstrates the Government's commitment to addressing this. I welcome the funding for villages such as Balla, which has received €120,000 for the redevelopment of its courthouse building. That will provide an enormous benefit to the locality as a community and enterprise hub. Projects like this will brings jobs into rural towns like Balla, which is very welcome. I hope we can continue to bring this funding into rural communities and villages.
I thank the Deputy. I was delighted to visit Balla. The Deputy brought me there and I saw exactly what people are trying to do with the redevelopment of that space. That is what the town and village renewal scheme is about. As I continue to say, it is about engaging with communities and helping them realise their vision for their areas. It is the ground-up approach that makes the difference because the people in Balla know exactly what they want. They are volunteers. I met them and we had a lovely chat. They have done so much there and the refurbishment of this old building will make such a difference to their plans for the town.
I was pleased to make that announcement. I know the Deputy is keen that that project, among a number of others in Mayo, such the €100,000 for the market square enhancement in Claremorris, be supported. As a local Deputy, he knows the benefit this sort of investment brings to our towns and villages.
I thank the Minister for her response and thank her for visiting Mayo a number of weeks ago. It was a very positive visit for the work that is happening on the ground with community organisations and the local authority in addressing dereliction and vacancy and bringing new life back into rural communities. There was another very significant announcement in Belmullet, with more than €500,000 for the redevelopment of Canal House. Community parks are also central so people can have amenities on their doorstep when they want access to them. The Department has certainly stepped up in this area by providing the platform for communities to access essential funding that will enhance their quality of life, and bring people back living, working and enjoying that quality of life in rural areas. I compliment the Minister and the work she has done over the past number of months and years on this. I look forward to hopefully working with her on this in the new year.
It is important that this investment continues. It has been very successful in 2022. I will be considering its continuation in 2023 but no decisions will be made until the priorities for 2023 are decided on. The building acquisition measure has helped many towns across the country. We need to move with the times. Times are changing. These buildings are no longer being used for their original purpose, which means we can repurpose them for 21st-century use. We need to embrace new technology, IT and all the opportunities they present us. We are absolutely committed to remote working and facilitating enterprise creation in towns and villages because it brings the footfall back in. It means there are more people there and that is what brings economic activity.
15. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 27 October 2022, the engagement that she or her Department has had with representatives of island communities in relation to the creation of an island-specific regional grouping for the purposes of the LEADER programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62558/22]
I am glad I have the opportunity to ask this question. I did not think I would, given the time restrictions. I will go back to the funding for the islands and recognising the islands as one subregional area. The Minister said she has had interaction with the islands and has brought changes but the islands have asked for that recognition. When the Minister brought in those changes, which I resume are positive, what interaction did she have with the island representatives? She should bear in mind that we had a packed AV room in November where they told us how important this recognition was.
As is the case with the current LEADER programme, the subregional areas for the new LEADER programme will correspond in the main with county boundaries. The offshore islands will continue to be included with their relevant county for the delivery of the LEADER programme. While an island-specific area is not provided for under the new LEADER programme, any group delivering the new LEADER programme in an area that includes islands will be required to include specific provisions such as island-specific actions with a ring-fenced budget and dedicated representation from the island community as part of the decision-making body. I have introduced these new requirements in recognition of the particular needs and priorities of island communities, and in light of the important role LEADER can continue to play in delivering real benefits for island communities. I am also satisfied that these new requirements will ensure island communities will have a direct and meaningful involvement in the delivery of LEADER on the islands. The expressions of interest stage to select the groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open, with a closing date for receipt of applications of 16 December. I encourage all interested parties to now submit their proposals to ensure we can continue to build on over 30 years of successful LEADER delivery across rural Ireland.
The Minister emphasised the changes made. What interaction did she have on those changes with the representatives of the islands? Is she telling me they are happy with those changes and have abandoned their campaign to be recognised as a subregional area? This is very important. During the presentation in the AV room, the representatives pointed out that they had been looking for this recognition for almost 40 years. The funding was upped for a specific period and then went backwards. They pointed out that islands are specifically mentioned as a separate entity in the European Green Deal, the just transition fund, the clean energy for the EU islands policy, the Memorandum of Split, the structural funds and so on, and Articles 174 and 349 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The message they are giving us is that there are no obstacles to recognition from a European point of view in relation to the recognition. The obstacle is due to the mentality here and the bureaucratic decision made to exclude them.
Officials from the Department are in regular communication with island representative groups, such as Comhdháil Oiléain na hÉireann, and it is intended that this practice will continue. Department representatives attended the Irish Local Development Network, ILDN, council meeting, which was attended by Comhar na nOileán, on 2 September. Department representatives met with the chair and the CEO of Comhar na nOileán on 25 October. There has been engagement between my officials and the islanders. I am particularly conscious of the needs of islands. I outlined this earlier. There are specific requirements whereby, where islands are included in the grouping, they will have an important role to play. There is no island-specific local action group, LAG, but we are developing the islands strategy, as we discussed earlier. I am satisfied that the needs of the islands will be taken into account and will be delivered upon as part of this structure we are proposing.
I know the Minister's heart is in the right place and I have recognised her commitment on record. My difficulty is that during the presentation in the AV room, the islanders told us it was absolutely essential to have the recognition as a subregional area and that alignment with the counties does not suit the sustainability of the islands. It is as simple as that. The interaction the Minister had was prior to this presentation. They made their views known in November and they have made them known to all of my colleagues and all the Deputies here. I ask the Minister to please not persist with this structure of funding. It is not to the benefit of the islands. There is no EU barrier. The barrier is somewhere in the minds here. It is bureaucratic. The Minister said the policy for the islands will be in her hands before the end of December and published next year. She might give me a date for that. It has to be funded properly. If the islands are not recognised as an entity, the funding is not fit for purpose. I am sorry but I have to disagree with the Minister on this.
It is still not clear to me why the decision was made that the islands would not be afforded that specific stand-alone subregional area status, although I appreciate it was considered. In 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the special situation of islands. Through EU policy, islands are to be treated as distinct territories. That seems to be totally against what the Minister and the Department have decided with regard to LEADER. Why can the islands not be dealt with as one subregion, as recommended by EU policy? We saw the impact when there were county-wide budgets. There was minimal delivery for the islands. Some counties ring-fenced funding and one county made no allocation and ring-fenced no funding at all. There were no island-specific actions during that period of 2014 to 2022 through LEADER, despite the major challenges islands face. When those islanders came into the AV room, they acknowledged those important elements, as the Minister called them, but said they were not enough.
Deir an tAire gur éist sí le muintir na n-oileán agus tuigim go raibh sí i dteagmháil leo. An rud atá siad ag rá linne, go soiléir agus le tamall fada anois, ná go dteastaíonn LAG uathu féin. Ní hamháin go ndeir siad siúd é ach tá na grúpaí atá ag dáileadh amach LEADER faoi láthair ag rá go bhfuil siad sásta an obair sin a thabhairt go LAG ar leith do na hoileáin. Mar shampla, tá go leor obair shéasúrach i gceist ar na hoileáin agus tá sé an-deacair do dhaoine 50% de mhaoiniú a mheaitseáil. Níl an bealach atá LEADER á dháileadh amach ar an mórthír réalaíoch do na hoileáin. Is fadhb ollmhór í sin.
I understand the Minister has engaged with the islands and nobody is saying she is not doing so. However, the reality is the island communities are saying they need extra support and their own specific local action group, LAG.
I thank the Deputies for raising their concerns. Alignment with the counties benefits some islands and there is no doubt about that. I was in Árainn Mhór and the communities there benefited not only from a roads programme but also from development under rural regeneration funding that came through, and was driven by, the local authority in Donegal. There is a fabulous theatre on the shore. That would not have happened without Donegal County Council driving the project forward and making it happen. Certain stakeholders, but not all, have expressed a preference that the new LEADER programme would include a dedicated LAG for island communities. A dedicated LAG is not included in the model for the new LEADER programme. As I have said, island communities have particular needs and priorities and the LEADER programme can play a role in the context of the emerging national islands policy. The new structure we are looking at will include representatives of the island communities in the decision-making process of the LAG, which is an improvement. The LEADER strategy will include specific actions to cater for the challenges faced by island communities.
LEADER is only one part of the jigsaw. There are many other funding sources. I want to see the islands benefit from that and I am happy to work with them to ensure they get their fair share of investment from my Department.
17. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she will announce the successful applicants under the community and voluntary energy support scheme, CVESS; if the full list of successful projects is available by county; when payments will start to issue to organisations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62795/22]
I commend the Minister on the CVESS, of which six organisations in Limerick have availed. I acknowledge in particular Caherconlish Community Centre Council, St. Mary's Community Adult Education Group and the Garryowen Community Development Project in that regard. The scheme will be open until 20 January this year. Is there a plan to encourage communities and groups in Limerick and north Tipperary to apply? Where can they go to apply for the scheme? What has been the take-up to date?
I will keep my reply short and informal because we are under time pressure. I will try to answer the Deputy's questions as best I can. By visiting the Pobal website is the short answer to the Deputy's question about how groups can apply for the scheme. I also bring to the attention of other organisations that may not qualify under CVESS that Limerick City and County Council would have received an allocation of approximately €250,000, which will be run through the local community development committees, LCDCs. That money will be available for smaller community groups. We hope that by reopening the CVESS and the community support scheme through the LCDCs, we will have captured everyone. If groups are falling between the cracks, we would like to know about it. Pobal is the main stop for the CVESS and we have tweaked it to make it more doable for individual organisations that would have a large amount of facilities across a county. When it was introduced, the scheme was not efficient enough for them, but now that we have tweaked the administrative process and reopened the scheme for applications until 20 January, it should make it more doable for people to apply.
May I come in? I thank my colleagues on the Opposition benches and wish everybody a happy Christmas. We will see what happens on Saturday. I thank the members of the Opposition. We have had good, constructive debates on issues relating to the Departments of Social Protection and Rural and Community Development. I thank them.
