Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 October 2018
464. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the maximum number of applications permissible for each local authority for schemes (details supplied) in 2018; the allocation of funds, by county, for each scheme in 2018, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41218/18]
View answerMy Department operates a suite of programmes designed to support rural communities. These include the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, the CLÁR programme, the Local Improvement Scheme and the Walks Scheme.
Town and Village Renewal Scheme 2018:
Under the 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Local Authorities were required to advertise for expressions of interest from towns/villages in their area and then select up to 12 proposals for development into detailed applications for submission to my Department. Selection of projects under the 2018 Scheme was by means of a competitive process. On 5th October, I announced details of successful projects under the 2018 Scheme. Full details are listed on my Department’s website at https://drcd.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018-Town-and-Village-Renewal-Scheme-Funding-1.pdf.
2018 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme
Measure 1 of the 2018 Scheme relates to small scale maintenance/promotion and marketing projects. Applicants under this measure, in the main, were Local Development Companies. However in some counties where there were few applications from Local Development Companies, my Department accepted applications from Local Authorities. Details of successful Local Authority applications under the scheme are published on my Department's website: https://drcd.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Copy-of-ORIS-2018-M1-Local-Authority-approvals-002.xlsx.
Local Authorities were eligible to submit up to four applications under Measure 2 - medium scale repair/upgrade and new trail development and one application under Measure 3 - large scale repair/upgrade and strategic trail development. No funding has been allocated under these measures in 2018 to date.
2017 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme
In January 2018, I announced funding of €2.1 million for Measure 2 of the 2017 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme. Local Authorities were permitted to submit up to 4 applications under this measure in 2017. Details of successful applications are published on my Department's website at https://drcd.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/Capture-1.png.
CLÁR 2018
Local Authorities were invited to submit up to 15 applications in total under the 2018 CLÁR programme for Support for Schools/Community Safety measures, and Support for play areas (including MUGAs). The remaining 2018 CLÁR measures were open to applications from bodies outside the Local Authorities. Detailed lists of successful applications are available on the CLÁR pages of my Department's website at: https://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/clar/.
Local Improvement Scheme
The list of projects which each of the Local Authorities plan to undertake under the scheme this year were submitted to the Department and detailed information regarding 2018 roads selected for improvement works under the scheme are available on my Department’s website at: http://drcd.gov.ie/about/rural/local-improvement-scheme/.
Walk Scheme
The cost of the Walks Scheme on an annual basis is in the region of €2.6 million. These costs include participant and materials payments, a contribution toward the cost of employment of 12 Rural Recreation Officers (RRO) who are employed by 12 Local Development Companies, and administration fees to 16 Local Development Companies.
The figures provided in the table for the cost of implementing the Walks Scheme for 2018 is indicative and based on the cost to the Department of the scheme in 2017. They include a contribution of €60,000 by Fáilte Ireland towards the cost of funding the 12 RROs.
The Local Authorities are not involved in the administration of the Walks Scheme.
|
COUNTY |
Walks scheme Cost 2017 |
|
CLARE |
€131,757 |
|
CORK |
€819,139 |
|
DONEGAL |
€130,511 |
|
GALWAY |
€96,966 |
|
KERRY |
€371,442 |
|
KILKENNY |
€82,471 |
|
LAOIS |
€64,526 |
|
LEITRIM* |
€2,097 |
|
LOUTH* |
€47,727 |
|
MAYO |
€288,178 |
|
OFFALY* |
€19,381 |
|
ROSCOMMON |
€192,621 |
|
SLIGO |
€103,958 |
|
TIPPERARY |
€173,848 |
|
WICKLOW |
€101,979 |
|
Total |
€2,626,601 |
* LDC without RRO or contribution from Fáilte Ireland.
