Written Answers Nos. 661-674
661. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 42 of 23 February 2023, the status of the development of the pier on Inis Oírr; the status of the CPO process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19420/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the responsible authority for the maintenance and development of Inis Oírr pier. A steering committee consisting of representatives from my Department, Galway County Council and the Consulting Engineers meets regularly to monitor progress on the work being undertaken. The most recent meeting took place last week.
Galway County Council published the Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for the land required for construction of the pier in December 2022 and submitted it to An Bord Pleanála. The CPO was subsequently approved by An Bord Pleanála, and the full CPO was published in The Connacht Tribune on 07 April. Landowners also received letters and maps on this date.
The CPO becomes operative from 28 April, at which point all affected landowners will be notified via letter again. A review period of 8 weeks will then follow, until 2 June.
Currently, Galway County Council are finalising the documents for the construction tender with a view to them being ready for publication as soon as possible following confirmation of the CPO.
662. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the development of the rural proofing model as promised in Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19421/23]
View answerOur Rural Future is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades. It commits to developing an effective rural proofing model to ensure the effects of significant new proposals on rural communities are fully considered, and better target the particular challenges and opportunities facing them.
To advance this measure, my officials commissioned a research report on rural proofing which was published in January 2023. It outlines options that could be applied in the Irish context and assesses the merits and potential barriers to their implementation.
The report makes clear that all the international evidence in relation to rural proofing is that no ‘one size fits all’ approach can be quickly and successfully implemented. This international experience is an important factor in shaping our approach to rural proofing, and I was happy to have recently met with Lord Richard Benyon, Minister of State for Biosecurity, Marine and Rural Affairs to discuss the experience of implementing a rural proofing approach in the United Kingdom.
Informed by the conclusions of the report, my Department is developing a nationally applicable rural proofing approach by first applying rural proofing concepts to a number of pilot test initiatives.
As part of this approach, my officials have engaged with a number of key Government Departments. Officials are now working with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in relation to rural proofing and the development of the new Sustainable Tourism Policy. Similarly, work is also underway on the development of the new National Hubs Strategy, and the incorporation of the rural perspective is a key part of this work.
To further progress the pilot approach, I have now asked my officials to engage with colleagues in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to their ongoing work on the National Planning Framework.
My officials will continue to progress work in this area to ensure that our approach to rural proofing incorporates an appropriate ‘rural lens’, is sustainable over the longer term and adds value.
663. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she continues to liaise with various community groups in Kildare north and throughout the country with a view to assisting them with their requirements under the appropriate headings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19581/23]
View answer666. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she continues to engage with rural and community groups with a view to identifying the most pertinent needs of the respective communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19584/23]
View answer667. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she continues to adopt rural and community programmes specifically aimed at the particular needs of relevant communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19585/23]
View answer668. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her proposals if any to expand eligibility and the number of schemes aimed at assisting communities in urban or rural settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19586/23]
View answer671. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she intends to expand the mission statement of her Department to meet particular areas that did not previously qualify for assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19589/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 663, 666 to 668, inclusive, and 671 together.
My Department's mission remains to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.
My Department continues to liaise with stakeholders in communities around the county including through the Local Authorities, Local Community Development Committees, Public Participation Networks and the Local Development Companies to ensure that supports provided are timely and appropriate to the needs of those communities.
While the schemes administered by my Department have a consistent, ongoing focus, they are regularly adapted and supplemented in response to emerging needs identified through the aforementioned stakeholder engagement. Such examples are the Community Call Initiative, the Covid-19 Stability Scheme, the Accelerated Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme and the recently announced Community Recognition Fund.
My Department is currently preparing a new Statement of Strategy for 2023-2025 which will guide the delivery of an ambitious programme of work over the coming years, with the aim of making a significant and lasting difference to rural Ireland and communities throughout the country.
My Department will continue to engage with rural and urban stakeholders to identify issues impacting on communities and respond to emerging needs. I am confident that the funding supports and policies provided by my Department will continue to deliver tangible benefits for both urban and rural communities.
664. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she and her Department have assisted various community groups throughout the country and north Kildare over the past three years, her intentions to continue in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19582/23]
View answer665. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total value of assistance offered to rural and community groups throughout Kildare north and throughout the country in each of the past three years to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19583/23]
View answer669. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of unsuccessful applications by communities for inclusion by schemes operated by her Department in each of the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19587/23]
View answer670. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of successful applications by communities for inclusion by schemes operated by her Department in each of the past two years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19588/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 664, 665, 669 and 670 together.
A vital part of my Department's mission is to support vibrant and sustainable communities across this country. My Department provides targeted investment and supports in both rural and urban communities, which enables rural regeneration, facilitates new working opportunities and fosters regional enterprise growth.
The amount allocated by my Department in the past three years is €323 million in 2020, €333 million in 2021, and €475 million in 2022. Kildare was allocated €7.9 million in 2020, €3.9 million in 2021, and €11.6 million in 2022.
This funding ensures that we are in a position to further assist communities throughout the country seeking funding and other supports for important local activities and projects.
We will continue to invest in and support communities across the country through our wide range of schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, LEADER Programme, Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, Town and Village Renewal Scheme, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, Local Improvement Scheme, CLÁR Programme, Islands Capital Programme, Community Enhancement Programme, the Community Centre Investment Fund, Connected Hubs initiative, Libraries Investment Capital funding, PEACE IV Programme and the PEACE PLUS Programme.
All funding schemes operated by my Department are open to applications from eligible groups during the application timeframes set for each scheme or programme. Further information on all schemes and programmes, including details of successful applications can be found on my Department's website www.drcd.gov.ie.
672. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her intentions for the current year in respect of the Leader Programme, whether she intends to introduce any modifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19590/23]
View answerThe LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development launched in 2021, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. The programme is based on a community-led approach to rural development and plays an important role in supporting communities and enterprises in progressing job creation, social inclusion and environmental projects at local level.
The process to select Local Actions Groups to deliver the 2023-2027 LEADER programme is under way at present. Applicants groups are due to submit completed their Local Development Strategy (LDS) for consideration by 14th July 2023.
Full details of the selection process is available on my Department’s website.
The closure of the 2014-2020 and Transitional programmes is proceeding in parallel with the commencement of the new LEADER programme.
My officials are currently reviewing learnings from the 2014-2020 and Transitional LEADER programmes which will be incorporated into the new programme where feasible and in particular are examining ways of streamlining the process for lower value community based projects.
The 2023-2027 LEADER programme will be operational in Quarter 3 of this year and I look forward to its implementation and to ensuring that LEADER can continue to deliver real benefits to rural communities across Ireland.
673. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report her representations to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth regarding research on early learning and care, and school-age childcare needs of parents who work atypical hours or live in rural communities, and develop recommendations for future action, as required by the Rural Development Policy 2021-2025. [19607/23]
View answerOur Rural Future is the whole of Government policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland. It was published in March 2021 and is the most ambitious rural development policy for Ireland in decades. It contains more than 150 measures intended to support the post–covid recovery in the short-term, economic and social development in the longer terms as well as environmental and cultural well-being.
The policy acknowledges the challenges facing those seeking to provide, and avail of, childcare in rural areas, and the need to better understand the requirements of parents of early years and school age children in these communities.
The research referred to by the deputy falls under Measure 95 of Our Rural Future with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth designated as having lead responsibility for delivery.
My Department monitors and co-ordinates the progress towards delivery of these measures through published six-monthly Progress Reports, which are available on my Department’s website. The Third Progress Report, which covers the period to December 2022, will be published shortly and it indicates that the first phase of this two-phase project was completed in August 2022.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth has confirmed it anticipates that a final report incorporating the results of both project phases, as well as a review of the relevant literature, will be published in quarter 3 of 2023.
674. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number and total value of contracts her Department has had over the past 12 months with KPMG; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20039/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has not had any contracts with KPMG in the last 12 months.
