Written Answers Nos. 814-817
814. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a project (details supplied) has been submitted for funding to her Department; when allocations of funding in respect of these submissions can be expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30622/23]
View answerThe CLÁR Programme provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. The CLÁR 2022 programme awarded a record €12.2 million with over 290 projects supported.
I launched the 2023 CLÁR programme in March this year 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)
Applications have now been received and are currently being reviewed by my officials.
I can confirm that the application referred to by the Deputy has been submitted to my Department for consideration by Cork County Council under Measure 1 - Developing Community Facilities and Amenities.
I expect to be in a position to announce the successful Measures 1 projects in September.
815. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there has been any write-off in any LEADER company in Ireland; if so, how much the write-off was for in each company; the names of the companies that had these write-offs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30873/23]
View answerThe LEADER Programme is one of the key interventions of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development.
The programme is delivered by 29 Local Action Groups across the country which for the most part comprise the Local Community Development Committee as the LAG with the Local Authority as Financial Partner and the Local Development Company (LDC), (often referred to as LEADER companies), as Implementing Partner. In four areas the LDC is the LAG in its own right. In previous LEADER programmes the LDC was the LAG responsible for the delivery of the programme in their respective area.
Rigorous compliance checks are in place to ensure the programme is delivered to a high governance standard. In the limited number of cases where a situation occurs that gives rise to a debt in a Local Development Company, my Department officials engage openly with the LDC concerned with a view to agreeing a mutually acceptable resolution plan.
There has been no debt write-off with any LDC in relation to a LEADER debt in Ireland to date. However, my officials are currently in discussions with one LDC in relation to agreeing a debt resolution plan.
I am satisfied that sufficient controls are currently in place to minimise the risk of debts arising into the future and to provide appropriate assurance.
816. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to set out information (details supplied) in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31107/23]
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 local community and voluntary groups across the country with a multitude of costs including energy and utility bills, other operating costs, minor upgrade works and small capital purchases.
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. My Department is currently finalising the required details for the remaining Local Authorities under the CSF and I expect this to be completed shortly.
Details of successful projects will be published on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcd in the coming weeks.
817. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to set out information (details supplied) in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31108/23]
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.
Under CLÁR 2022, I awarded a record €12.2 million for over 290 projects. I launched the 2023 Programme in March this year 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)
Some 330 applications have been received across all the measures with total funding requested of in excess of €14 million. The assessment process is now underway and I expect to be in a position to make a decision on the Measure 2 projects in the coming weeks and on the Measure 1 and 3 projects in September.
With regard to Mayo, 15 applications were submitted under Measure 1, with ten applications under Measure 2 and one application under Measure 3.
It important that adequate space is given to complete the assessment process so it would be inappropriate to publish any detail on individual applications at this stage. I will of course, provide complete details of all applications, broken down on a county basis, when the assessment process has been completed.
