Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 15 December 2022
33. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way that her Department will support the development of the Inis Cealtra (Holy Island) site in Mountshannon, County Clare as a public amenity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62333/22]
View answerThe Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 215 projects have been approved for funding of €395 million for projects costing €542 million.
Calls for applications to the Fund 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.
The Inis Cealtra Category 2 project was approved for funding of €920,500 from the first call for applications in 2019. This Category 2 funding enabled the lead party, Clare County Council, to develop detailed designs for the project and to prepare it for future submission under Category 1.
The Old Rectory – Inis Cealtra Visitor Experience project was submitted under the fourth call for Category 1 applications, which closed in April 2022. On 10th November 2022 I announced that the project had emerged as successful under this call and allocated funding of €3,906,252 to the project. This ambitious tourism, conservation and regeneration project will develop Mountshannon as a tourism destination by taking advantage of its proximity to Inis Cealtra and will include the repurposing of the Old Rectory House in the village as a Community and Visitor Hub.
The project will be delivered based on a timeframe to be agreed between my Department and Clare County Council. This timeframe will be dependent on the level of progress achieved in relation to the Kilrush Maritime Training Centre project, also allocated funding in November, and on other existing Rural Regeneration and Development Fund projects currently being progressed by Clare County Council.
