Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 April 2022
124. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she can outline a pathway forward for a proposed marine training facility in west County Clare, which was unsuccessful in an application for funding. [17861/22]
View answerThe project referred to by the Deputy was the subject of an application to the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) under the 3rd call for Category 2 applications in 2021.
Calls for applications to the RRDF are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place and which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for Category 1 applications
On foot of the aforementioned call for applications, in January 2022 I announced that 27 projects had been successful and approved €21.5m in development funding for the projects.
The application for the marine training centre for Kilrush, which was led by Clare County Council, was indeed unsuccessful and my Department provided feedback to the Council, as well as other unsuccessful applicants, following the conclusion of the process.
It is now a matter for the Council and its key partners to develop an appropriate funding strategy to progress the project. In terms of the RRDF, my Department is currently accepting Category 1 applications until April 29th 2022 and a further call for Category 2 applications will be opened later this year.
