Written Answers Nos. 13-29
13. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the supports he will make available to other disadvantaged communities in the Dublin area in view of the €5.5 million investment in Dublin’s north inner city as announced by him in October 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46000/18]
View answerIn October I announced a funding allocation of €5.5m for 2019 for the Dublin North East Inner City area. This will support the social and economic regeneration of an area which is at the heart of our capital city. It will benefit not only the local community but the city as a whole. The funding underlines the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the recommendations of the Mulvey Report are implemented.
Other disadvantaged communities in the wider Dublin area also receive funding from my Department. The SICAP programme provided €9.7m to the Dublin area in 2018 giving vital support to those community groups and individuals most in need. Similar levels of funding will be available for Dublin through SICAP in 2019.
In addition, under the Community Enhancement Programme my Department provided €2.9m to the Dublin area in 2018. This funding is being used to address disadvantage by enhancing facilities in disadvantaged areas. Typical projects funded across Dublin are the renovation of community centres, improvements to town parks, CCTV equipment and energy efficiency-type projects.
Separately, I provided €100,000 in 2018 towards an Area Action Plan for the Cherry Orchard area in west Dublin. This allocation, together with other supports provided by my Department, underlines the Government commitment to addressing disadvantage in the wider Dublin area, while also taking into account the specific issues faced by the North East Inner City area.
14. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he is satisfied that the application process for community groups applying to LEADER is efficient and that the process is not turning groups off making an application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46130/18]
View answerThe LEADER programme has made a huge contribution to supporting rural areas and rural communities for many years. As is the case with many EU-funded programmes, certain procedures must be followed to ensure transparency and accountability. However, I am committed to making the application process for LEADER in Ireland as efficient as possible for community groups.
My Department engages regularly with the Local Action Groups (LAGs) that deliver LEADER to identify potential areas for programme improvement.
Following a Forum held with the LAGs in May of last year, I have implemented 31 improvements over the last 17 months to streamline the LEADER programme.
These actions have simplified the process for LEADER applicants. Improvements include:
- the introduction of a standardised application form,
- greater flexibility for LAGs in seeking project proposals through rolling and targeted calls, and
- the introduction of a single administrative check of project applications which has replaced the previous two-stage process for most applications. The number of questions to be completed as part of this administrative check has also been reduced by more than half.
The impact of these improvements is clear to be seen in the level of applications and funding being approved under the LEADER programme this year.
The level of project funding approved this year to date, at €30 million, is nearly double the €16 million approved in 2017.
Overall, since the programme commenced delivery in 2016, 1,450 LEADER projects have been approved to a value of €46.3 million, while a further 329 projects with a value of over €22 million are going through the approvals process.
I will continue to examine ways to further improve the application and delivery process under LEADER, in consultation with stakeholders.
15. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the work of the Action Plan for Rural Development specifically relating to the revitalisation of towns and villages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45963/18]
View answerThe Action Plan for Rural Development includes a number of measures for delivery by a range of Departments and other bodies to support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages.
From my own Department's perspective, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key component in the revitalisation of rural towns and villages. In total, almost €53 million has been approved for more than 670 projects across the country under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme since it was introduced in the second half of 2016. I recently announced details of 224 projects which were approved for funding of more than €21 million under the 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
I also recently announced details of a pilot scheme to encourage increased residential occupancy in our towns and villages. This scheme will provide up to €100,000 each, to six towns of different sizes and in different locations to help them to identify solutions to encourage more people to live in their town centre. The objective is that the experience from this pilot scheme will help other towns and villages around the country to identify what might work well in their particular area.
The new €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, which was announced by the Government as part of Project Ireland 2040, will also provide an opportunity to deliver ambitious and integrated projects which will further support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages. Details of the first group of projects to be supported under the Fund will be announced shortly.
On the basis of the progress made to date, the target in the Action Plan for Rural Development to support the revitalisation of over 600 rural towns and villages over the period 2017 to 2020 will be exceeded. My objective is to ensure that the investment made in these towns and villages has a sustainable impact that will make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to visit.
16. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the scheme announced in October 2018 to encourage families to return to living in rural town centres will be extended to offshore islands. [45964/18]
View answerA Pilot scheme to encourage people to return to living in town centres was launched in October 2018. The pilot is one of the elements being utilised by the Department to revitalise rural towns and villages.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to rejuvenating towns and villages in rural Ireland. The factors which attract people to live in particular settlements can be many and varied, including the availability of schools, shops, transport and other services. Apart from the need to identify suitable properties which may be available for residential purposes, it is important that the right infrastructure and services are in place to make the town attractive and safe for people and families to live in.
The Pilot scheme takes a holistic approach to town centre living and is being piloted in a small number of towns initially. This approach will allow a number of Local Authorities to develop and test different models which they feel are appropriate to a small number of selected towns of different sizes and in different locations.
The Pilot is being implemented with a view to a wider roll-out over time, and could potentially include suitable candidate towns and villages on offshore islands. The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will provide an opportunity to take the emerging ideas to implementation stage, if they prove to be effective.
17. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps he will take with regard to oversight and monitoring of the inspections of dog breeding establishments to ensure that the new guidelines, due to come into force in January 2019, will be adhered to. [45954/18]
View answer28. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which the updated guidelines for dog breeding establishments will be enforced when they come into effect on 1 January 2019; if additional resources are being allocated for the inspection and enforcement of these guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45948/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 28 together.
My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010. The Act provides for guidelines to be put in place for the management and operation of Dog Breeding Establishments. Following a public consultation process, my Department published new Guidelines in July of this year and these will come into effect on 1 January 2019.
I want to see high standards achieved by Dog Breeding Establishments in Ireland. Having published the new Guidelines, my Department is now identifying any necessary legislative amendments that may be required in the Act to further improve standards.
Under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act, 2010, local authorities are responsible for operational activities such as the registration, inspection and regulation of Dog Breeding Establishments, including enforcement activities.
The Department publishes statistics on dog related operational activities undertaken by Local Authorities, including in relation to Dog Breeding Establishments. The Department will continue to undertake this monitoring work following go-live of the new guidelines.
It is important to bear in mind that the enforcement of animal welfare standards for all animals, including dogs, is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Acts. Both Departments work closely with each other to ensure a coordinated approach is taken in this area.
18. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which he continues to address the stigmatisation of rural or urban communities in view of the fact that such communities are in decline (details supplied); his plans to address the emerging image of rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45951/18]
View answer257. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which he expects to address the issues of concern in both urban and rural areas which fall under the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46434/18]
View answer258. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if, in the context of the allocation of funding throughout 2019, he expects to further improve conditions in both urban and rural settings throughout the country with particular reference to concerns expressed in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46435/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 18, 257 and 258 together.
As Minister with responsibility for Rural and Community Development I note the substantial progress made to improve the quality of life for persons and communities throughout Ireland, both rural and urban, and it is my intention that the supports available through my Department will continue to improve conditions in these communities into the future.
My primary focus is to support the creation of vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities across this country. This can be achieved through the implementation of programmes and initiatives that facilitate and encourage economic development through the creation of jobs and the infrastructure required to support those jobs, and to provide other facilities that support our communities to become and remain desirable places to live, work and raise families.
Key to this is the need to promote a new narrative around rural Ireland, that it is in fact a dynamic place that is adaptable to the changes taking place in a modern economy. Every day and in every town and village I visit, I see great examples of the dynamism and the ability to adapt to economic and social changes that are happening right across Ireland.
The Action Plan for Rural Development, the Framework Policy for Local and Community Development in Ireland, and Project Ireland 2040 are the key policy initiatives that set out the ways in which Government aims to address disadvantage and how we can support both rural and urban communities across Ireland.
The Action Plan is coordinated and monitored by my Department and is the most comprehensive Government plan ever produced to support economic and social development in rural areas. The measures within it are being delivered across a range of Government Departments, State agencies and other organisations over the period to 2020.
Project Ireland 2040 laid out the Government’s plans for the country’s long-term development, and a key commitment within it regarding rural Ireland is the provision of €1 billion for the new Rural Regeneration and Development Fund which will enable towns, villages and outlying rural areas to grow sustainably and support delivery of the strategic objectives of the National Planning Framework.
The Fund will be a key driver in supporting the revitalisation of rural Ireland, delivering a significant and sustainable impact for rural communities and helping to address issues such as de-population in small rural towns, villages and rural areas.
Additionally, my Department continues to provide direct supports to both urban and rural communities through a range of schemes and programmes, including the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, the Dublin North East Inner City Initiative, LEADER programme, Community Enhancement Programme, CLÁR Programme and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
19. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the independent review of Pobal’s charitable status will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46022/18]
View answerPobal is a not for profit company which was originally established by Government in 1992 as Area Development Management (ADM) Ltd. Charitable status was granted to the company by the Revenue Commissioners on the 20th November 1996. In 2005 ADM was re-named Pobal. In accordance with Section 40 of the Charities Act, 2009, Pobal was entered onto the Register of Charitable Organisations on 16 October 2014.
The basis for Pobal having charitable status is tied to the objects of the Company, which are specified in its Memorandum and Articles of Association. I am satisfied that Pobal is fully compliant with the relevant legislative requirements including those of the Charities Act, 2009.
Pobal has commissioned an independent review of its charitable status which I understand is now at a very advanced stage. The board of Pobal will receive a final report upon conclusion of the review. I understand that the matter will be put before the Board of Directors at their January meeting.
My Department has had no input into this independent review. However, Pobal will be sharing the outcome of the review with my Department through our corporate governance and oversight arrangements.
23. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made towards reopening the rural walks scheme; when he plans to reopen the walks scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46139/18]
View answerMy Department administers the Walks Scheme which facilitates the development and maintenance of many of Ireland’s walking trails. The scheme involves land-holders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on sections of National Waymarked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. Participant land-holders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken, in line with agreed work plans.
The scheme currently covers 39 trails, with payments made to approximately 1,900 land-holders to maintain those trails.
The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to increase the number of walks covered by the scheme. In line with this commitment, funding for the scheme was doubled in Budget 2019 - from €2 million to 4 million - to allow this expansion to proceed next year.
I will shortly be initiating a review of the operation of Walks Scheme which will inform decisions regarding the expansion of the scheme. In order to be in a position to bring new trails on to the scheme as soon as possible, I will also be inviting Local Development Companies and Local Authorities to submit expressions of interest in respect of trails that meet specific qualifying criteria, for consideration for inclusion in the scheme.
I hope that this process will enable my Department to identify, before the end of the year, the initial trails for inclusion in the expanded scheme.
25. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans for the development of services within his portfolio in the coming years with particular reference to the need to develop and modernise services affecting rural Ireland and the Border regions; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to interact with and provide funding for voluntary community groups while at the same time enhancing the quality of services available through both the public and the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45950/18]
View answerAs Minister with responsibility for Rural and Community Development my primary focus is to support the creation of vibrant and sustainable communities across this country and crucial to that is the development of the modern, efficient services needed for such communities to thrive.
My Department provides a wide range of supports to communities in rural Ireland, through programmes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, Community Services Programme, the LEADER Programme and others.
In addition, through Project Ireland 2040 and the National Development Plan, the Government will be providing investment of almost €116 billion over the next decade, much of which will be invested in the regions, including €1 billion through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund which is delivered through my Department.
Local communities deserve much of the credit for harnessing these supports and driving and delivering economic growth regionally and in rural areas and the Government must continue to enable and facilitate access to the services that are necessary to thrive in the 21st century economy.
I believe we can continue making progress on this front and my Department is continuing to play its part in the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan which aims to provide high-speed broadband access to all areas of the country.
In relation to supports for voluntary community groups, my Department operates a number of funding programmes and schemes, such as the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, LEADER and the Community Enhancement Programme, that are open to applications from groups in the voluntary sector who satisfy the relevant criteria during the application timeframes set for each scheme/programme.
My Department’s Community and Voluntary Supports and Programmes provide a framework of supports for the community and voluntary sector, including support for 21 Volunteer Centres, eight Volunteer Information Services and a number of volunteer-support organisations, such as Volunteer Ireland. My Department is supporting the upgrading, in 2019, of the Volunteer Information Services to full Volunteer Centres.
In addition, my Department will shortly be issuing a call for inputs to a paper on key aspects to be included in a National Volunteering Strategy, with a view to obtaining views from the sector in preparation for the development of a volunteering strategy in 2019.
26. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to ensure the viability and sustainability of towns and villages in rural areas which have lost or are losing their local post office. [46040/18]
View answerThe Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment has policy responsibility for the postal sector. However, I am acutely aware of the value placed by rural communities on services such as the local post office.
Last month the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment launched a new Digital Assist pilot initiative with An Post. Ten locations across the country will act as pilots for the provision of new services that will help sustain the viability of the post office network into the future and I am delighted that my Department has been able to provide funding of €80,000 for this programme. The first unit has been unveiled in Ballymore Eustace post office in Co Kildare.
Ensuring access to services for rural communities is an issue that cuts across almost all Government Departments. It also relates to services provided by the private sector. In my role as Minister for Rural and Community Development I am absolutely clear on the importance of ensuring that rural communities can access the services they need so that they remain vibrant places in which to live and work.
Investment in rural Ireland is taking place right across Government. The Action Plan for Rural Development is a comprehensive cross-Government plan which sets out a wide range of measures focused on supporting and building sustainable communities; growing jobs and enterprise; improving access to services; maximising tourism, culture and heritage assets; and improving connectivity in rural areas.
Since its publication significant progress has been made in terms of delivery of the measures contained in the Action Plan.
Continued implementation of the Action Plan for Rural Development, together with the additional €1 billion investment provided for through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund as part of the €116 billion committed under Project Ireland 2040 and the National Development Plan, will bring positive benefits to our rural communities.
My Department administers a range of funding programmes that support local communities throughout Ireland. Of particular importance for those towns and villages most disadvantaged in terms of access to services are the CLÁR Programme, the new Community Enhancement Programme, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the funding being provided to our public libraries.
Additionally, funding delivered through the LEADER Programme and the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme provides supports tailored to the specific needs of individual areas.
In terms of directly facilitating access to services in rural Ireland, the Department of Transport has provided a funding allocation of €14.9 million for local link services in 2018. Such funding facilitated 1.9 million passenger journeys last year – providing a vital service for rural communities.
27. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made between his Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment in removing the barriers which would impact the roll-out of fibre broadband in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46138/18]
View answerMy Department works closely with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment through a number of mechanisms to ensure barriers are removed to the roll-out of telecommunications infrastructure.
The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was established in July 2016 arising from the Programme for a Partnership Government commitment to identify solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits. An Implementation Group, which I currently chair, oversees the implementation of all identified actions. The work of the Implementation Group is co-ordinated by senior officials from my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment. Quarterly progress reports on the work of the Implementation Group are available on the Department of Rural and Community Development website.
The Implementation Group has made significant progress identifying and working to mitigate potential barriers to the roll out of the National Broadband Plan. Officials from my Department and the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment work together on a number of sub-groups that support the Implementation Group’s work programme. For example, one of these sub-groups is examining the feasibility of using State and publicly owned assets for the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure.
In addition, the Department of Rural and Community Development organises regular Regional Action Group meetings across the country. The purpose of these meetings is to bring together Local Authority Broadband Officers and other stakeholders to discuss issues that may impact upon the roll-out of essential telecommunications infrastructure. The Group currently meets on a monthly basis and has successfully facilitated the sharing of ideas and local knowledge, as well as providing a valuable networking opportunity for Broadband Officers.
The Department has further supported Local Authorities as they prepare for the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan through a number of initiatives such as an annual subvention to each Local Authority to support the role of Broadband Officers, the creation of the Digital Innovation Programme which has approved funding of more than €500,000 for Local Authority led digital projects this year, and the provision of match-funding for Local Authorities who are successful under the EU's WiFi4EU programme.
29. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of meetings held of Comhairle na Tuaithe in 2017 and to date in 2018; the progress made in the development of rural and outdoor recreation in the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45959/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department was established on 19th July 2017. Since then, I met with the members of Comhairle na Tuaithe on 13th February 2018, and Comhairle met on two further occasions, 16th May 2018 and 5th July 2018.
My meeting with Comhairle on 13th February was to hear directly from the members their views on the recommendations of the independent review of Comhairle and the Countryside Recreation Strategy which was finalised in March 2016. I also heard the members' views on the future direction of Comhairle and on the development of the outdoor recreation sector in Ireland generally. That meeting was very constructive in helping me to formulate proposals for the future development of the sector.
My officials presented initial proposals to the Comhairle members at the meeting of 16th May 2018 and, through my officials, I received detailed feedback from the members on those proposals. I have considered that feedback in the context of a wider focus on the development of the rural recreation sector and I will make a final decision regarding the future operations of Comhairle na Tuaithe shortly.
Responsibility for the development of rural and outdoor recreation is shared across a number of Government Departments. However, my Department supports rural recreation primarily through the Walks Scheme and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.
The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to double the funding available for the Walks Scheme and to increase the number of trails covered. Budget 2019 provided an increase for the Walks Scheme from €2 million per annum, to €4 million per annum. I will shortly be initiating a review of the operation of scheme which will inform decisions regarding its expansion.
The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreation infrastructure and/or the maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in Ireland. Almost 500 projects around the country have been approved for funding of over €20 million under this scheme since the end of 2016.
