Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 April 2017
248. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to revise the areas which are currently classified as CLÁR areas and in particular her plans to designate an area (details supplied) as having CLÁR status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18436/17]
View answerThe CLÁR programme (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) was originally launched in October 2001 to provide for targeted investment in disadvantaged rural areas.
The areas originally selected for inclusion in the CLÁR programme were those which suffered the greatest population decline from 1926 to 1996, with the exception of the Cooley Peninsula which was included on the basis of the serious difficulties caused in that area by Foot and Mouth disease. The average population loss in the original CLÁR regions over the period 1926 to 1996 was 50%.
In 2006, an analysis of the 2002 Census data was carried out by the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) at Maynooth University and the programme was extended to include areas with an average population loss of 35% between 1926 and 2002. The 2017 CLÁR programme, which I launched recently, is based on the same data and areas that applied in 2006. Parts of the area referred to by the Deputy are eligible for CLÁR funding.
My Department is considering a review of the areas covered by CLÁR, based on the detailed 2016 Census data.
County maps and details of current CLÁR areas are published on my Department's website at: http://www.ahrrga.gov.ie/rural/rural-development/clar-2016/.
