Written Answers Nos. 1920-1927
1920. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason that the fast ferry service which is available to Tory Island, County Donegal will not accept the free travel pass which prohibits many older and disabled passengers from availing of the service to and from the Island; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1887/23]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection is responsible for the administration and delivery of the Free Travel Scheme.
Officials of the Department of Social Protection have begun the process of engaging with the operators of the Tory Fast Ferry about their participation in the Free Travel Scheme which will be completed within the next few weeks.
1921. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her attention has been drawn to reports that an anomaly in the community and voluntary sector energy support scheme is excluding many community and voluntary organisations from accessing the scheme (details supplied); if she has any plans to rectify the issues outlined in order that such organisations can be deemed eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1892/23]
View answerNot-for-profit and voluntary organisations in the Community and Voluntary sector are woven into the fabric of community life across Ireland, but they are vulnerable to the impact of increased energy costs.
The budget announced on 27th September 2022 allocated €10m to my department to put in place a support scheme for community and voluntary organisations and charities to help with the additional energy costs incurred in 2022.
The Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme (CVESS), administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department, provides once-off supports to incorporated organisations and/or registered charities within the community and voluntary sector which fall outside the parameters of other energy support schemes being delivered by Government.
While applications for Phase One of the scheme closed on 2nd December, I can confirm that my department has streamlined the process for a further round of the scheme, which has been re-opened. Eligible organisations who missed the deadline for Phase One may also apply under Phase Two, with the scheme remaining open until 20th January 2023.
Applications received under Phase One are being assessed in batches to support timely decision making and drawdowns of funds. I was pleased to announce the first tranche of successful applicants under Phase One in December, awarding over €250k to 180 organisations across the country. Payments have been issued directly into successful applicants' bank accounts, and a full list of recipients is available on Gov.ie.
In order to be eligible for support under CVESS, applicants must directly incur the energy costs specified. Depending on their legal operating structure, an organisation providing rental space for community and voluntary organisations may be eligible to apply for CVESS or the Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) administered by Revenue. The organisation may choose to pass on any state energy support funding received by lowering the relative energy contributions paid by groups renting space, however that is a matter for the parties concerned.
Community and Voluntary organisations who are not bill account holders may consider applying for support towards their operating costs through the €10m Community Support Fund (CSF). This fund is designed to assist community groups across the country, in light of the current rising energy costs. The fund will deliver small grants to help groups with running costs and rising energy bills and can also be used to carry out small upgrade works and to purchase equipment to support their activities such as laptops and printers, lawnmowers, training equipment, etc. Intending applicants should contact their local authority for further details on the fund and the application process.
My Department will continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including the community and voluntary sector, charities, local authorities and local development companies, to support community organisations across the country as they deal with the ongoing and emerging challenges. These Schemes are part of a range of supports introduced through Budget ’23 and everyone is encouraged to visit gov.ie/reduceyouruse to find out how they can make energy savings, where safe and possible to do so.
1922. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding avenues that are available through her Department which could assist a sporting organisation with the purchase of land, particularly where a club does not currently have a ground of its own and there is a proven need within an area. [1910/23]
View answerMy Department's mission is to support vibrant and sustainable communities across the country, and in doing so to deliver on a wide range of strategic interventions and policies to support rural and urban. In delivering on this mission, I am happy to say that my Department has in recent years put in place extensive supports for communities including sports clubs, youth groups and voluntary and community groups. In particular, My Department implements a wide ranging programme of capital supports schemes which support communities across the country, such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, CLÁR and LEADER.
However, while a wide range of community organisations have benefited from these funding schemes in recent years, direct funding for the purchase of land for sports clubs is not within the remit of my Department. In the main, funding of sporting clubs is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media through initiatives such as the Sports Capital Programme.
1923. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she plans to open a new round of the Community Centre Investment Fund in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1927/23]
View answerThe Government is aware of the challenges facing community and voluntary organisations and I was delighted to secure €20 million in funding under Budget 2023 to continue the Community Centres Investment Fund.
This builds on the €15 million which was announced under the fund in 2022. The huge interest in this fund shows how important community centres are for communities throughout Ireland. This Government is committed to providing funding to improve and upgrade these centres which will allow them to continue to provide services for communities to come together.
It is intended that the 2023 fund will be targeted primarily at new build community centres. The details of this scheme are currently being developed by officials within my Department and I hope to announce further details in quarter 1 of 2023.
1925. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration will be given to measures to fund the restoration of surfaces for multi-use gaming areas and astro pitches under the CLÁR programme supporting outdoor community recreation facilities in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1955/23]
View answerThe CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period.
Since the CLÁR programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. Funding of over €57 million has been approved for almost 2,100 projects. This included almost €22 million for safety related measures at schools/community facilities.
Under the CLÁR 2022 programme, funding of over €12 million was approved for almost 300 projects. The measures funded were:
- Developing Community Facilities and Amenities (Measure 1)
- Mobility, Cancer Care and Community First Responders Transport (Measure 2)
- ‘Our Islands’ (Measure 3)
Measure 1 supported a variety of capital interventions including the refurbishment of Multi-use Gaming Areas (MUGAs) and Astro Pitches, provided that they contributed to the enhancement of existing, and/or the development of new, accessible community recreation facilities.
The Measures for inclusion in the CLÁR programme are reviewed each year and are being reviewed again in advance of the next launch of the programme.
1926. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development regarding the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) if she will advise the way the scheme will operate for 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2169/23]
View answerThe Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) is funded by my Department under Our Rural Future. The Scheme is central to Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy which is set to shape the future of outdoor recreation over the next five years.
ORIS funds new outdoor recreational infrastructure as well as providing for the necessary repair, enhancement or promotion of existing facilities in countryside areas across Ireland.
Since the launch of the Scheme, funding in excess of €106 million has been approved, supporting more than 1,500 projects across Ireland. Last year, I approved projects to the value of almost €20 million under the Scheme.
The 2022 measures supported were:
- small scale projects - funding up to €30,000 (measure 1);
- medium scale projects - funding up to €200,000; (measure 2);
- large scale projects - funding up to €500,000; (measure 3); and
- Project Development - funding up to €50,000 (PDM) to meet initial planning/development costs to support a potential pipeline of larger strategic projects of scale.
The Measures to be included in ORIS are reviewed each year and will shortly be reviewed again in advance of the next launch of the programme.
1927. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the person or body with whom responsibility lies to ensure that the attention of owners of restricted breeds of dogs is drawn to their obligations and responsibilities pursuant to relevant legislation governing these breeds; if there are any plans to introduce a system whereby an owner of a restricted breed is obliged to register as part of the process whereby dog licences are issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2254/23]
View answerMy Department has policy and legislative responsibility for dog control and the restricted breeds of dogs, that is those dogs that are required to be leashed and muzzled when in a public place.
The relevant Acts, the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014, set out a range of requirements for all dog owners or any other person in charge of a dog. The Control of Dogs Regulations 1998 set out further requirements that owners of specific breeds of dogs, including strains or crosses of those breeds, have to follow. Such dogs must be muzzled and led, on a sufficiently strong leash or chain not exceeding 2 metres in length, by a competent person over 16 years of age, when in a public place.
Local Authorities are responsible for all operational matters in respect of their work in the implementation of the Control of Dogs Acts and the Control of Dogs Regulations and my Department has no involvement in these operational activities. Local authorities have the power to issue dog licences, appoint dog wardens, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take court proceedings against dog owners, where appropriate.
Last week, my officials and I met with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue, T.D., to discuss how our departments can address shared concerns regarding dog control and ownership. We have agreed to establish a working group that will examine the various issues and consider all relevant legislative and enforcement issues in relation to dogs. This review will bring all the key players together to consider what action can be taken to keep both people and animals safe.
