Written Answers Nos. 121-140
121. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if transitional funding will be made available to bridge the gap in the Leader programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44986/22]
View answerThe LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It is a multi-annual programme for rural development co-funded by the EU through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
I was delighted to welcome the recent announcement that the European Commission has confirmed their approval of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan for 2023-2027, which includes the LEADER programme. This approval is a key step in the delivery of the next LEADER programme for the period 2023-2027
A number of further steps will now be completed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in advance of bringing the CAP Plan to Government for final approval in the coming weeks.
As part of the new Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan, the Government has committed significant funding of €180m to LEADER for 2023-2027. This allocation was agreed by Government in October 2021.
Transitional funding of €70m was provided for the LEADER Programme 2021 and 2022 to ensure that there was no gap in funding prior to the commencement of the 2023-2027 programme.
My Department’s focus now is to finalise the design of the new LEADER programme in conjunction with key stakeholders. I hope to be in a position to launch the selection process in the coming weeks.
For the duration of the selection process, stakeholders will be engaged in preparatory work relating to strategy design and a separate funding stream is available to support this work.
While this process is ongoing, existing LEADER Groups will also still be engaged in delivering projects on the ground and in closing out the current programme.
All available project funding has not yet been allocated to projects or drawn down by LEADER groups under the transitional programme. Approximately 80% of project funding has been committed by LEADER groups and I am aware that they continue to develop projects ‘in the pipeline’ in order to fully utilise the available budget.
On top of this core funding, additional Exchequer funding for administration costs has been put in place for LEADER groups who have exhausted all such existing funding in 2022. I have confirmed that this funding will be made available again in 2023, in cases where it is required by LEADER groups. It is not expected that all groups will require such funding in either 2022 or 2023. For example, it is anticipated that only half of LEADER Groups may require this funding by end 2022.
I am confident that the LEADER allocations made available by the Government, as outlined, are sufficient to allow LEADER to build on the success of the programme over the last 30 years in Ireland without any gap in the servicing of the programme.
122. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps that her Department has taken to address the backlog of applications in the local improvement scheme; if she will commit to upholding recent funding increases for the scheme in 2023 considering the demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44716/22]
View answerAs part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.
The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Between 2017 and 2021, my Department allocated €80 million towards improvement works on over 3,000 non-public roads and lanes. These works have benefited over 13,300 landowners and residents in these rural areas.
I was pleased, as part of Budget 2022, to announce an increase in the base funding for LIS from €10.5 million to €11 million this year. Following a review of savings within the Department, I have recently announced an additional €11 million for the scheme, so doubling the 2022 allocation to €22 million. This brings the allocation since 2017 to over €100 million. Consideration of future funding of the LIS is of course subject to the ongoing budgetary process and the capital allocations contained in the National Development Plan, but I am confident that the scheme can continue to make a clear contribution to the goals and ambition of Our Rural Future.
123. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update in relation to progress on applications to the new community centre investment fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45182/22]
View answerThe Community Centres Investment Fund application closing date was Thursday 14th July 2022, and the appraisal process is currently ongoing. All applications will be subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines.
Due to the high level of applications to the fund, it is expected to be quarter 4 of 2022 when applicants are notified of the outcome of the application and appraisal process.
124. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the timeframe for the commencement of the Leader programme; and if there will be scope for local development companies to administer other programmes, given the shortfall of funding. [45153/22]
View answerI was delighted to welcome the recent announcement that the European Commission has confirmed their approval of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan for 2023-2027, which includes the LEADER programme. This approval is a key step in the delivery of the next LEADER programme.
A number of further steps will now be completed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in advance of bringing the CAP Plan to Government for final approval in the coming weeks.
My Department’s focus now is to finalise the design of the new LEADER programme in conjunction with key stakeholders.
The process to select the Local Action Groups to implement the new programme which will be open, transparent and competitive and will be conducted over two stages. I hope to confirm full details of this process shortly.
The first stage will be an Expression of Interest by eligible groups followed by a more detailed stage which will see them develop their LEADER strategies. All groups that are successful in Stage 1 will be provided with funding to assist with the costs associated with developing a Local Development Strategy in Stage 2 of the process. This is a much more detailed stage, with some 6 months being provided for strategy development. A fund of €2 million has been ring-fenced for this purpose.
Local development companies currently administer a number of Government funded programmes including LEADER which can generate funding revenue for the company. It is open to LDCs to apply to deliver programmes as they are advertised. A local development company that is involved in the delivery of the new LEADER programme following the conclusion of the competitive selection process will continue to be eligible to deliver other funding programmes as is currently the case. I have also recently confirmed that additional Exchequer funding for administration costs associated with LEADER delivery will be available again in 2023 where existing funding is fully utilised.
It is now important that the key public and private stakeholders in communities across Ireland come together in partnership to deliver a LEADER programme that will build on the fantastic success of the programme over the last 30 years and to ensure that LEADER continues to play a central role in supporting rural communities into the future.
125. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of applications nationwide to the new community centre fund; the number that came from County Kerry; the overall value of applications; when she expects to announce the successful applicants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45003/22]
View answerThe Community Centres Investment Fund application closing date was Thursday 14th July 2022, and 1,048 applications were received with funding of almost €71 million sought. I can confirm to the Deputy that 40 applications were received from County Kerry.
The appraisal process is currently ongoing. All applications will be subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines.
Due to the high level of applications to the fund, it is expected to be quarter 4 of 2022 when applicants are notified of the outcome of the application and appraisal process.
126. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress that has been made to date in establishing a remote working hub in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45149/22]
View answerOur Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages.
Through schemes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund my Department has invited applications from local authorities and local communities for a range of projects in recent years, including the development of remote working hub facilities. To date, some €100 million has been invested under such schemes to support the establishment, improvement, and sustainability of hubs.
In May 2021, I launched the National Hub Network. This currently comprises of 281 remote and co-working facilities across the State. These facilities have been onboarded to connectedhubs.ie, the shared online booking and payments platform for member hubs and their users.
The Network includes a range of hubs catering for a wide variety of remote and co-working needs. It is expected that, in time, the network and the platform will include more than 400 facilities.
27 of the 281 hubs on the connectedhubs.ie platform are located in County Cork, and a further 19 hubs throughout the county have been invited to join the network, including the Enterprise Youghal hub.
On 8 June, I announced the 81 projects that were successful in securing funding from the 2022 Connected Hubs Call, allocating €5 million to add additional capacity to existing remote working hubs and Broadband Connection Points throughout the country. Over €515,000 was allocated to County Cork, with funding going to, amongst others, Charleville Enterprise Centre, Plus10 Coworking and Innovation Space and Mix Coworking.
This follows the award of almost €9 million in funding allocated via the 2021 Connected Hubs Call, of which approximately €425,000 was allocated to County Cork.
I am committed to continuing my Department's support for the ongoing strategic development of a comprehensive and integrated network of remote working hubs in recognition of the vital role that they can play in our post-Covid recovery.
127. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a breakdown on the funds which have been allocated and drawn down for repairs and improvement works on rural roads and laneways under the local improvement scheme, by county or local authority, in tabular form. [44620/22]
View answerAs part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland.
The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Over 2017 to 2021, improvement works have been completed on over 3,000 non-public roads and lanes benefiting over 13,300 landowners and residents in these rural areas.
I was pleased, as part of Budget 2022, to announce an increase in the base funding for LIS from €10.5 million to €11 million this year. To address the strong demand, and following the identification of savings in other capital areas, I was delighted to be in a position to double the overall 2022 provision to €22 million this August
The prioritisation and selection of eligible LIS roads is a matter for each relevant local authority within broad parameters set down by my Department. Following the launch of the LIS with the confirmation of county allocations, each local authority submits a priority list of roads as well as a reserve list to my Department before works commence locally.
Since LIS was reintroduced in 2017, aggregate investment has now surpassed the €100 million mark, which is clear testament to Government's commitment in Our Rural Future to improve rural connectivity
The county allocations and drawdowns for 2021, as well as the allocation for 2022, are set out in the table below. The final out-turn for 2022 will be established in November when the programme of works are complete.
|
COUNTY |
ALLOCATED 2021 (€) |
DRAWN DOWN 2021(€) |
ALLOCATED 2022(€) |
|
Carlow |
463,931 |
463,172 |
944,082 |
|
Cavan |
1,119,389 |
1,109,320 |
1,273,457 |
|
Clare |
828,528 |
828,528 |
1,238,015 |
|
Cork |
1,412,738 |
1,410,172 |
1,298,240 |
|
Donegal |
1,188,403 |
1,186,370 |
1,711,214 |
|
Galway |
1,580,871 |
1,554,615 |
1,682,841 |
|
Kerry |
1,187,099 |
1,185,874 |
1,495,490 |
|
Kildare |
495,586 |
466,720 |
435,326 |
|
Kilkenny |
778,682 |
778,682 |
628,610 |
|
Laois |
554,259 |
526,202 |
860,277 |
|
Leitrim |
503,830 |
503,830 |
1,081,038 |
|
Limerick |
1,504,659 |
1,488,946 |
930,989 |
|
Longford |
393,041 |
386,892 |
465,940 |
|
Louth |
417,821 |
417,821 |
448,273 |
|
Mayo |
1,361,625 |
1,354,390 |
610,944 |
|
Meath |
803,937 |
801,533 |
569,299 |
|
Monaghan |
1,326,223 |
1,326,223 |
932,889 |
|
Offaly |
545,240 |
542,962 |
674,785 |
|
Roscommon |
445,495 |
437,906 |
571,758 |
|
Sligo |
470,542 |
443,236 |
358,030 |
|
Tipperary |
721,531 |
715,371 |
1,125,773 |
|
Waterford |
872,759 |
866,236 |
587,176 |
|
Westmeath |
628,389 |
627,675 |
656,781 |
|
Wexford |
653,786 |
653,786 |
781,027 |
|
Wicklow |
741,635 |
741,635 |
637,748 |
|
Total |
21,000,000 |
20,818,098 |
22,000,000 |
128. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on her plans to increase community arts space across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32460/22]
View answerThe Community Centres Investment Fund is a new capital fund of €15 million which will provide funding for the improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres in both urban and rural areas.
The fund closed to applications on the 14th July, 2022 and costs associated with improving the arts space in Community Centres are eligible under the fund. Details of successful applicants will be available on the Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd. Many applications under the fund are seeking improvements/renovations to spaces where arts related activities are taking place around the country.
Separately, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched in 2016 and aims to assist with the rejuvenation of rural towns and villages throughout Ireland, making them more attractive places to live, work, and visit. In line with the commitment in Our Rural Future, the 2022 Town & Village Renewal Scheme prioritises projects that bring vacant and derelict buildings and sites in our town centres back into use as multi-purpose spaces. Multi-purpose spaces include such uses as enterprise spaces, arts, and other community uses.
The 2022 scheme closing date for applications was 22nd July 2022. Applications are currently being assessed as part of a competitive process and I expect to be in a position to announce successful projects later this year.
Funding may also be available through the LEADER Programme for the type of project the deputy refers to. LEADER is a multi-annual programme covering the period 2014-20202 which is delivered through 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) around the country.
Support under the LEADER programme is provided under a broad range of themes. In order for a project to be eligible for LEADER funding, it must be compatible with the actions outlined in the approved Local Development Strategy for the relevant LEADER area, and it must comply with the Operating Rules and EU Regulations in place for the programme.
Prospective applicants should, in the first instance, contact their relevant LAG, through its Implementing Partner, to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. The list of all Local Action Groups, their Implementing Partners and their contact details, is available on the Gov.ie website at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c45498-local-action-groups.
129. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide community organisations with funding for the cost of compliance and streamline regulatory and funding-related compliance requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45135/22]
View answerIn 2019, my Department published Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities - A five year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019-2024. The strategy reaffirms the Government’s commitment to supporting the sector and addressing some of the burdens faced by service providers, whilst also recognising the reality of finite resources and the need to ensure that available resources are focused on providing effective services.
The strategy commits, inter alia, to developing appropriate compliance and monitoring arrangements and to supporting capacity in the community development, local development and the broader community and voluntary sector to meet them. Actions include:
- reviewing the appropriateness of regulatory compliance requirements;
- developing and implementing a strategy to reduce, streamline and standardise all public-funded programme and regulatory monitoring, reporting and compliance requirements, where appropriate, and
- resourcing and supporting organisations to fulfil compliance requirements.
The implementation of the strategy is being overseen by the Cross-Sectoral Group on Local and Community Development. A key role for this group is to support my Department in the prioritisation of objectives and actions to be progressed within the framework of annual workplans.
I acknowledge the concerns of the sector in relation to this issue and I am committed to working with all stakeholders to address the challenges involved.
130. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department is reviewing ways to mitigate the impacts on local communities and the schemes that are supported by Leader in view of the fact that the Leader allocations vary from year to year; the steps that her Department is taking to give Irish local development network members stability in planning ahead financially; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44955/22]
View answerThe LEADER programme is a key intervention implemented by my Department, which will help to underpin the Government's rural development goals as outlined in Our Rural Future.
Funding is provided for the duration of the LEADER programme rather than on an annual basis to allow more flexibility to the Local Action Groups (LAGs) to manage the programme in their areas of operation.
€250m has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This is comprised of €70 million for the transitional period 2021 to 2022 which came into effect on 1 April 2021 and an additional €180 million from 2023 to 2027. Up to 25% of this funding is available for the administration and animation costs of the LAGs delivering the programme.
In addition to this core funding, additional administration Exchequer funding has been put in place for LEADER Groups who have exhausted all such existing funding in 2022. I have also recently confirmed that this funding will be made available again in 2023, in cases where it is required by LEADER Groups.
This level of funding is evidence of the Government’s continued support for the LEADER programme and gives certainty to the LAGs, including members of the Irish Local Development Network, regarding their funding until the new programme is operational .
The process to select the Local Action Groups to implement the new programme which will be open, transparent and competitive will be conducted over two stages. I hope to confirm full details of this process shortly.
The first stage will be an Expression of Interest by eligible groups followed by a more detailed stage which will see them develop their LEADER strategies. All groups that are successful in Stage 1 will be provided with funding to assist with the costs associated with developing a Local Development Strategy in Stage 2 of the process. A fund of €2 million has been ring-fenced for this purpose.
I am confident that the level of funding allocated for the 2021-2027 programming period is sufficient to meet the demand for grant funding from rural communities and businesses to continue the effective operation of the LEADER programme.
131. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has considered the constraints on building community infrastructure and community involvement in the new rapidly developing areas on the fringe of cities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45043/22]
View answerI am acutely aware of the challenges which community groups and community centres are facing throughout Ireland. All matters in relation to planning are, of course, dealt with by the relevant Local Authority and An Bord Pleanála.
However, the Department provides a number of funding streams to assist groups in both rural and urban areas with some of the cost challenges they face.
The Community Enhancement Programme (CEP), which has been run on annual basis over the past number of years, provides funding to community groups and organisations across Ireland, with a focus on areas of disadvantage. Funding is provided to each Local Authority area, and the programme is administered by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) on the basis of local need. The 2021 CEP was launched in May with an allocation of €4.5m. It's is envisaged that the CEP will run again later in 2022, however, details of the fund and the allocations available have not yet been confirmed.
In 2021 the Community Activities Fund (CAF) provided funding of €9M to community groups to help with their running costs such as utility or insurance bills, as well as with improvements to their facilities. Groups also used the funding to carry out necessary repairs and to purchase equipment within their community, such as tables and chairs, tools and signage, laptops and printers, lawnmowers, canopies and training equipment. This once-off fund was administered locally by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs).
Earlier this year the new Communities Centres Investment Fund (CCIF) was announced with funding of €15M available to communities in both urban and rural areas for the upgrade and refurbishment of existing community centres.
Examples of the projects this fund will support include:
- Energy retrofitting projects that reduce an organisation's carbon footprint;
- Works to address safety concerns, including as a result of fire safety audits;
- Works to improve disability access;
- Works to improve communal facilities such as kitchen and toilet facilities, and
- Essential maintenance
The closing date for applications under CCIF was the 14th of July and the assessment and appraisal process is currently underway, it is expected that details of successful projects will be made available in Q4.
132. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a decision will be made on the applications for the community centre grants. [45188/22]
View answerThe Community Centres Investment Fund application closing date was Thursday 14th July 2022, and the appraisal process is currently ongoing. All applications will be subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines.
Due to the high level of applications to the fund, it is expected to be quarter 4 of 2022 when applicants are notified of the outcome of the application and appraisal process.
133. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the recently launched Towns First Policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44713/22]
View answerThe Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. The policy is an important deliverable under Our Rural Future, the Government's Rural Development Policy for the period to 2025.
A key step in delivering the TCF Policy is the establishment of the National Implementation Office to ensure the delivery and implementation of the policy, and to co-ordinate stakeholder engagement at a national level. The office is responsible for supporting Town Regeneration Officers (TRO) in driving implementation of the policy and will also produce an Annual Implementation Plan that monitors progress and delivery.
My Department has agreed the structure and funding for the National Office and the TROs with local authorities and a National TCF Coordinator has been appointed to head up the National Implementation Office. The National Coordinator is currently in the process of staffing this office.
Similarly, local authorities have also begun appointing TROs who will drive the development of TCF Plans at local level across the country. The first of these officers have already taken up their roles, and it is expected that all TROs will be in place in the coming months.
The policy is also underpinned by significant levels of public investment spread across major Government schemes, such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, the Croí Conaithe (Towns) Fund and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.
For example, earlier this year I announced funding of €18.5m under the 2021 Town and Village Renewal Scheme and I have also recently launched the 2022 Scheme, including a new Building Acquisition Measure. This measure provided up to €400,000 to each local authority to purchase vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages for development as community assets. In July, I approved funding of €7.5m under this Measure for 36 vacant and derelict buildings to be purchased by local authorities. This new measure will be a key support for towns in implementing the Town Centre First approach locally.
I am committed to ensuring that the continued roll out of the Town Centre First policy will work to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages as set out in Our Rural Future.
134. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding arrangements that will be put in place for the Leader programme in 2023. [45154/22]
View answerThe LEADER Programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development.
I was delighted to welcome the recent announcement that the European Commission has confirmed their approval of Ireland’s CAP Strategic Plan for 2023-2027, which includes the LEADER programme. This approval is a key step in the delivery of the next LEADER programme. A number of further steps will now be completed by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in advance of bringing the CAP Plan to Government for final approval in the coming weeks.
As part of the new Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan, the Government has committed significant funding of €180m to LEADER for 2023-2027. I can confirm that all of this funding will be allocated to the Local Action Groups.
Transitional funding of €70m was provided for the LEADER Programme by the Government for 2021 and 2022 to ensure that there was no gap in funding prior to the commencement of the 2023-2027 programme. To date, , all available project funding has not yet been allocated to projects or drawn down by LEADER Groups under the transitional programme. 80% of project funding has been committed by LEADER Groups and I am aware that they continue to develop projects ‘in the pipeline’ in order to fully utilise the available budget.
On top of this core funding, additional administration Exchequer funding has been put in place for LEADER Groups who have exhausted all such existing funding in 2022. I have confirmed that this funding will be made available again in 2023, in cases where it is required by LEADER Groups. It is not expected that all groups will require such funding in 2023.
In addition, a separate funding stream of €2 million will be made available to eligible groups to develop a local development strategy for the new LEADER programme. I will be announcing full details in relation to the selection process shortly.
I am confident that the LEADER allocations made available by the Government are sufficient to allow the LEADER programme to continue to deliver for rural communities in 2023.
135. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress that she has made in delivering on the Government’s policy, Our Rural Future. [44982/22]
View answerOur Rural Future was published in March 2021 and is the most ambitious rural development policy for Ireland in decades. It contains more than 150 measures for delivery across the whole of Government, for both short-term recovery and longer-term economic and social development and environmental and cultural wellbeing.
Updates on policy implementation are provided by a series of Progress Reports and Annual Work Programmes; the latter allows for revised priorities in light of emerging opportunities and challenges.
The First Progress Report, published in February last, provided updates on a total of 216 actions contained in the 2021 Work Programme, with a delivery rate of just under 80% of actions scheduled for completion last year.
It was followed by the 2022 Work Programme, which outlined work to be undertaken this year. It contains 318 new and continuing actions to be progressed across Government, including 23 actions proposed under 10 new policy measures, adding to those originally contained in Our Rural Future. This shows that Our Rural Future is a living document, with ambition evolving over time.
The Second Progress Report was published in August and contains updates on actions for delivery in the first half of 2022, with contributions from 22 departments or agencies. This Report recorded a strong 72% completion rate.
A Third Progress Report will capture further updates at the end of 2022, and all Reports and Work Programmes are available on my Department's website - https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/c6f5d-our-rural-future/.
I am delighted with these continued efforts, which seek to address the emerging challenges and opportunities facing rural communities. The high level of progress to date demonstrates this Government’s continued commitment to realising the ambitions of Our Rural Future.
136. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will mainstream multi-annual funding and ensure adequate long-term funding levels are provided for community services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45133/22]
View answerMy Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP), currently supports over 430 community organisations to provide employment opportunities and the delivery of a diverse range of local services, through a social enterprise model.
The CSP contribution is a fixed annual contribution towards the overall cost of the employees with funding of €19,033 currently provided for each full time equivalent (FTE) position and €32,000 for a manager, where warranted.
The CSP contribution must be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources, for example, from income received from the public use of their facilities and services.
Following an independent review of the CSP, the programme is currently being redesigned. As part of the restructuring process I have recently approved a new funding rate allocation model for the CSP programme based on three weighted criteria, as an alternative to the current flat rate payment model. This will provide a sustainable funding model for the CSP Programme, taking account of the earning potential of the funded organisations.
The revised funding rates to apply from January 2023 under the restructured programme have not yet been finalised. It is anticipated that all existing organisations will transition to the new programme in January 2023 following an application process which will open in the coming weeks.
137. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the engagement that she has had with the stakeholders of the Gearagh, County Cork in relation to suitable outdoor tourism development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45072/22]
View answerThe Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways and bridleways in rural areas.
Since the formation of my Department in 2017, funding of over €4.6 million has been approved under the Scheme for Cork.
Earlier this year, I launched the 2022 Scheme with a budget of €15 million to support outdoor recreation projects nationwide. The Measures being funded under this year’s Scheme are:
- Measure 1: Small Scale Repair/Development/Promotion and Marketing (up to €30,000)
- Measure 2: Medium Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Trail/Amenity Development (up to €200,000)
- Measure 3: Strategic Large Scale Repair/Upgrade and New Strategic Trail/Amenity Development (up to €500,000)
- Project Development Measure: Development costs for Strategic large Scale Projects (up to €500,000)
The 2022 Scheme is now closed for applications. In August I announced the successful projects under Measure 1 and the Project Development Measure. I expect to announce the successful projects under the remaining Measures in the coming months.
I am not aware of any recent direct engagement between local stakeholders and my Department in relation to the Gearagh, County Cork. However, it should be noted that applications under ORIS are developed and submitted to my Department by local authorities and local development companies, and all applications are required to demonstrate a collaborative approach, working with the local community and stakeholders.
138. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the announcement of the intention to develop a new policy for the islands was first made; the progress that has been made in relation to same to date; when it is intended to publish the final document; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44890/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government is committed to publishing a 10 year policy on island development with associated three year action plans.
In December 2019, a consultation paper was launched with input from the participating Departments to act as a basis to advance the development of an island policy. The Government’s ambition in a national policy and action plan for the islands was set out in chapter 10 of Our Rural Future, the Action Plan for Rural Development 2021-2025, published in 2021.
The most recent meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee for the Islands was held on 22 June 2022, where it was agreed that committee members would review their own Department’s draft input and revert with revised actions where appropriate.
The next meeting of the Inter-Departmental Committee is scheduled for early October, where it is expected Committee members will be able to share their feedback, observations and recommendations regarding the initial draft of the policy.
My Department is continuing to engage with relevant Government Departments and State bodies to assess how they might help address the various issues raised by island communities during this consultation process.
An initial draft of the policy is nearing completion. It sets out the context for the policy, provides a high-level analysis of the current opportunities and challenges and defines strategic objectives.
The policy and action plan is due to be completed in the coming months and it is my intention to have it published by the end of the year.
139. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will engage with the Minister for Finance on the effect that increasing liability insurance premia are having on voluntary and community groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter [32269/22]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that I am very aware of the impact the cost and availability of insurance is having on the community and voluntary sector, and that my Department is working to assist in addressing this area.
In publishing the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025, Government has acknowledged the importance of volunteering to the well-being of the nation, and set out a plan for the delivery of an agreed and ambitious vision. The Strategy, which I launched in December 2020, is a whole-of-government framework to support the volunteering sector, the purpose of which is to recognise, support and promote the unique value and contribution of volunteers to Irish society.
Action 23 of the Strategy focuses on the cost and availability of insurance for volunteering activities. It aims to represent the views of the sector in relation to the impact of the cost and availability of public liability insurance on volunteering, through engagement with the Insurance Reform sub-group of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment, which was established to implement the Government’s insurance reform agenda.
Work has commenced on implementing Action 23 of the Strategy. My Department is currently working with stakeholders to undertake a review of the impact of the cost and availability of public liability insurance on volunteering. Once complete, the findings of the review and its recommendations will assist in informing our interactions with the Insurance Reform sub-group.
140. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration will be given to increasing the level of funding for staff wages on the community services programme due to the ever-increasing cost of living; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45046/22]
View answerMy Department’s Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community organisations to provide employment opportunities and the delivery of a diverse range of local services, through a social enterprise model.
The CSP contribution is not aligned to the minimum wage and does not meet the full salary cost of supported posts, rather it is a fixed annual contribution towards the salary costs of employees in supported organisations, with funding of €19,033 currently provided for each full time equivalent (FTE) position and €32,000 towards a manager's salary, where warranted.
The CSP contribution must be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources, for example, from income received from the public use of their facilities and services.
Following an independent review of the CSP, the programme is currently being redesigned. It is anticipated that all existing organisations will transition to the new programme in January 2023 following an application process which will take place later this year.
As part of the restructuring process, it is proposed to introduce a new funding rate allocation model for the CSP programme, as an alternative to the current flat rate payment model. The revised funding rates for the restructured programme have not yet been finalised and will be subject to the budget available to the programme in 2023.
