Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 May 2023
813. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she intends to announce details of the recipients of funding under the CLÁR Measure 1 - funding for community facilities and amenities, given that the closing date for applications was 12 May 2023. [26214/23]
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)
In 2023, Measure 1 will prioritise funding applications in respect of small scale renovation works to community centres and in particular community centres that did not receive funding under the Communities Centres Investment Fund 2022 (CCIF).
CLÁR Measure 1 is administered at a local level by the relevant local authorities. Fifteen projects selected and prioritised locally will be submitted by each local authority to my Department for consideration.
The deadline for submission of applications to my Department is not until 6th June 2023. Most local authorities will have earlier closing dates to allow for the assessment and prioritisation of the projects at a county level.
I expect to announce the successful applications under Measure 1 later this year.
