Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2017
56. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made on the roll-out of the regional and rural portion of her Department's remit in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11360/17]
View answerMy Department has made significant progress across a range of issues within the rural and regional policy areas of my Department so far this year.
For example, Realising our Rural Potential, the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development, was launched on Monday 23rd January in Ballymahon, Co. Longford. The Plan contains over 270 actions to be implemented by a range of Government Departments, agencies and other bodies to progress the economic and social development of rural Ireland. It is the first time a framework such as this has been developed to provide a co-ordinated approach across Government to the economic and social development of rural areas.
In relation to the implementation of the LEADER Programme, over 3,000 Expressions of Interest requesting funding of over €140 million have been received since the new programme was launched in July 2016. The Local Action Groups are now concluding calls for proposals and working with potential applicants to develop and finalise project applications in each area. A significant increase in project approvals and payments is expected as the year progresses, and a total of €40 million has been provided for the LEADER Programme in my Department’s Estimate this year.
Minister of State Michael Ring has secured an allocation of €5 million for the CLÁR programme for 2017 and details of the particular measures to be funded will be announced shortly.
I have secured funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme this year and I will be launching the first phase of this scheme shortly. As part of the scheme, I intend to launch a pilot project to encourage residential occupancy in rural towns and villages and this phase will be launched in the second half of the year.
My Department is working with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and the Local Authorities on an on-going basis to facilitate the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan. An Implementation Group has also been established to oversee the implementation of the actions contained in the Report of the Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce, which was published last December. The Implementation Group will meet for the first time this week and will be co-chaired by myself and Minister Naughten.
Yesterday, An Taoiseach and Minister of State Ring convened the inaugural meeting of a new Atlantic Economic Corridor Taskforce in Castlebar. The Taskforce will provide a platform for collaboration between stakeholders from the private sector, the public sector and the wider community, to identify how best an economic corridor can be created along the Atlantic seaboard region. The Atlantic Economic Corridor concept aims to contribute to effective regional development by creating sufficient scale along the western part of Ireland to match other regions – and particularly the East coast - in attracting Irish and multinational investment, growing jobs and supporting vibrant local communities.
