Written Answers Nos. 244-250
244. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Health if a home support application will be processed for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal to allow discharge from a hospital; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25325/23]
View answerAs this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the deputy directly, as soon as possible.
245. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if a student (details supplied) would be entitled to tax relief or any other financial benefits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25036/23]
View answerUnder the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to eligible students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
In relation to support available for students studying abroad, the Student Grant Scheme provides maintenance grants to eligible undergraduate students pursuing approved courses in other EU Member States. In general, an approved undergraduate course in this context is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of not less than two years duration pursued in a university or third level institution, which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds in another EU Member State or the UK.
The student grant scheme does not and never has extended to the payment of tuition fees to institutions outside the State, other than for exceptional provision in respect of postgraduate courses in Northern Ireland. This provision is consistent with the principles of the Good Friday agreement and is intended to promote greater tolerance and understanding between both jurisdictions. The Scheme also does not extend to PLC courses pursued outside of the State or postgraduate study pursued outside of Ireland.
Funding under the Free Fees Initiative is only available in respect of approved courses within the State.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax office or from the Revenue Commissioners website www.revenue.ie
246. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if consideration has been given to additional further education courses and/or apprenticeships in the area of horticulture; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25145/23]
View answerFurther Education and Training courses are delivered, or contracted, by the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) across the country. While this is under the funding and strategic direction of SOLAS, the ETBs decide on the level and nature of provision based on local demand in consultation with SOLAS. My officials have made enquiries with SOLAS and I understand that some 3,000 learners pursued a wide range of horticultural related courses during 2022 and that a similar level of provision is expected in 2023.
The position regarding apprenticeships is that an apprenticeship in Advanced Horticulture and an apprenticeship in Sports Turf Management are due to be launched this year. Both are level 6 programmes on the National Framework of Qualifications and are expected to have their first intake of apprentices in September.
247. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the latest recipients of the community support fund will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25101/23]
View answerLast November, I was delighted to launch the 2022 Community Support Fund (CSF) under the Community Enhancement Programme, with funding of €10 million to assist thousands of community groups across the country.
The funding is administered on behalf of my Department locally by Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) across the country, with support from their Local Authority. The CSF is now closed to applicants and details of successful projects will be published on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd in the coming weeks.
248. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the local improvement scheme; the number of applications that were received and approved, by county, in 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25131/23]
View answerThe Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity, which I view as an important issue for rural Ireland, whether it be access to homes, farms or outdoor amenities.
The Local Improvement Scheme was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Since 2017, my Department has allocated almost €114 million to the scheme. Between 2017 and 2022 , this has upgraded some 3,700 non-public roads and lanes benefiting over 16,000 landowners and residents in these rural areas.
I launched the 2023 scheme in February with an increase in the base funding to €12 million. I also announced an addition €0.55 million for improvement works on our off shore Islands. This is the third consecutive year in which the basic allocation for the Local Improvement Scheme has been increased. I also announced the allocations for 2023 earlier than was the case in 2022 in order to give local authorities the most time possible to complete works on the ground.
The table below sets out the details on a county basis of the roads approved and completed in 2022 and approved to date in 2023.
LIS Roads approved in 2022 and 2023 to date
|
County |
202 2 |
2023 |
Total |
|
Carlow |
37 |
11 |
48 |
|
Cavan |
25 |
6 |
31 |
|
Clare |
25 |
11 |
36 |
|
Cork |
22 |
19 |
41 |
|
Donegal |
68 |
31 |
99 |
|
Galway |
50 |
26 |
76 |
|
Kerry |
23 |
18 |
41 |
|
Kildare |
11 |
6 |
17 |
|
Kilkenny |
11 |
7 |
18 |
|
Laois |
23 |
7 |
30 |
|
Leitrim |
31 |
9 |
40 |
|
Limerick |
27 |
10 |
37 |
|
Longford |
18 |
8 |
26 |
|
Louth |
12 |
8 |
20 |
|
Mayo |
31 |
45 |
76 |
|
Meath |
9 |
6 |
15 |
|
Monaghan |
14 |
7 |
21 |
|
Offaly |
32 |
13 |
45 |
|
Roscommon |
24 |
10 |
34 |
|
Sligo |
18 |
10 |
28 |
|
Tipperary |
35 |
19 |
54 |
|
Waterford |
11 |
4 |
15 |
|
Westmeath |
20 |
7 |
27 |
|
Wexford |
23 |
9 |
32 |
|
Wicklow |
8 |
7 |
15 |
|
Total |
608 |
314 |
922 |
249. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of applications that have been received by her Department under CLÁR funding; the number of successful applications and the number rejected, by county, in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25132/23]
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 depopulation 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 since its relaunch.
I launched CLÁR 2023 on 29 March 2023 and the measures to be funded are:
• Developing Community Facilities and Amenities (Measure 1)
• Mobility, Cancer Care and Community First Responders Transport (Measure 2)
• ‘Our Islands’ (Measure 3)
The deadline for receipt of applications under Measure 2 was 12th May 2023 and these applications are currently under assessment. The deadline for receipt of applications under Measure 1 and 2 is 6th June 2023.
The table below sets out the number of successful and unsuccessful applications under the CLÁR Programme in 2021 and 2022. The 2023 CLÁR Programme is not yet finalised so the data is not available.
|
County |
Received 2021 |
Approved 2021 |
Unsuccessful 2021 |
Received 2022 |
Approved 2022 |
Unsuccessful 2022 |
|
Carlow |
7 |
2 |
5 |
4 |
3 |
1 |
|
Cavan |
12 |
9 |
3 |
15 |
14 |
1 |
|
Clare |
18 |
9 |
9 |
15 |
14 |
1 |
|
Cork |
27 |
11 |
16 |
19 |
19 |
0 |
|
Donegal |
15 |
8 |
7 |
25 |
23 |
2 |
|
Dublin |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Galway |
21 |
11 |
10 |
23 |
23 |
0 |
|
Kerry |
30 |
17 |
13 |
20 |
18 |
2 |
|
Kilkenny |
11 |
2 |
9 |
12 |
12 |
0 |
|
Laois |
14 |
4 |
10 |
13 |
11 |
2 |
|
Leitrim |
16 |
10 |
6 |
16 |
14 |
2 |
|
Limerick |
15 |
5 |
10 |
12 |
12 |
0 |
|
Longford |
15 |
10 |
5 |
16 |
16 |
0 |
|
Louth |
12 |
2 |
10 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
Mayo |
27 |
11 |
16 |
26 |
19 |
7 |
|
Meath |
12 |
4 |
8 |
10 |
10 |
0 |
|
Monaghan |
14 |
9 |
5 |
20 |
18 |
2 |
|
National Organisations |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Offaly |
12 |
4 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
0 |
|
Roscommon |
14 |
8 |
6 |
16 |
13 |
3 |
|
Sligo |
14 |
8 |
6 |
17 |
11 |
6 |
|
Tipperary |
14 |
4 |
10 |
16 |
15 |
1 |
|
Waterford |
14 |
6 |
8 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
|
Westmeath |
10 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
8 |
2 |
|
Wexford |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Wicklow |
9 |
3 |
6 |
5 |
5 |
0 |
|
Total |
357 |
162 |
195 |
325 |
292 |
33 |
250. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte Uimh. 106 an 25 Aibreán 2023, an ndéanfaidh sí soiléiriú a thabhairt faoi stádas an Pholasaí Oileánda; cathain a fhoilseofar an polasaí nua; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [25174/23]
View answerMar is eol don Teachta, tá an Rialtas tiomanta chun polasaí oileánda a fhoilsiú de réir Chlár an Rialtais agus geallantais a leagadh amach in Ár dTodhchaí Tuaithe.
Tá áthas orm a rá go bhfuil an polasaí agus an plean gníomhaíochta beagnach réidh. Beidh mé á chur faoi bhráid an Rialtais go luath agus foilseofar é ina dhiaidh sin.
