Written Answers Nos. 872-878
872. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of personnel in her Department, at Principal Officer level or above, who on retiring from that position, were subsequently appointed to a State or semi-State board over the past ten years. [34929/23]
View answerThe Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017. In the period since its establishment, my Department is not aware of any staff at Principal Officer grade and above who on retirement were subsequently appointed to the board of a State or Semi-State body.
873. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for a breakdown on the amount of funds Coillte Teoranta has invested in the maintenance and upkeep of the Western Way walking route in the properties under their control from Sralagagh West, Ballycastle Forest, through Sheskin Forest, Nephin Beg and other forest properties south to Leenaun from January 2018 to date, in tabular form. [34978/23]
View answerThe development of outdoor amenities is central to Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, the new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy 2023-2027, which was launched last November. The Strategy sets the stage to strengthen and support the sustainable development of the outdoor recreation sector in Ireland for years to come. Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors will ensure that there is a joined up and coordinated approach to deliver maximum impact from the significant investment in the sector and to build on the natural advantages in place.
In May 2022, I announced €15 million of funding for Coillte as part of a new five year strategic partnership between my Department and Coillte to enhance outdoor recreational facilities on Coillte-owned land and to support increased tourism and economic activity in rural areas. This builds on the previous 5 year agreement which provided funding of €11 million over the period 2017-2021 and represents a significant investment by the Government in the development of these assets which will benefit rural communities and visitors alike.
Over the last number of years we have seen a major increase in the number of people accessing outdoor recreation infrastructure. As Ireland’s largest landowner and largest provider of outdoor recreation in Ireland, Coillte are uniquely placed to assist in building on that demand to ensure that people can continue to enjoy the unique advantages offered by the Irish countryside.
The funding provided by my Department will see Coillte further develop their outdoor recreation facilities across its recreational sites in order to meet the increased demand for access to its amenities. Works include maintenance and development of trails, cycleways, play areas, upgrading of car parking and toilet facilities to help manage the growing number of visitors.
Coillte undertook works in the various forests along the Western Way over the last number of years. However the exact expenditure which related to the specific works on the Western Way trail is not avialble for all these years.
I understand that there are issues regarding access to parts of the Western Way that cross Coillte lands and my officials have asked Coillte to examine the issues raised and to report back by Friday 21st July 2023.
The detail of the expenditure recorded by Coillte and funded by my Department on the Western Way trails is detailed in Table 1. Details of additional expenditure on forests along the Western Way are shown in Table 2.
Table 1
|
Year |
Location |
Expenditure |
|
2018 |
Western Way trails |
€25,696 |
|
2019 |
Western Way trails |
€12,288 |
|
2020* |
Western Way trails |
|
|
2021 |
Western Way trails |
€23,258 |
|
2022* |
Western Way trails |
|
|
2023* |
Western Way trails |
|
|
|
Total |
€61,242 |
* Specific expenditure on the Western Way trail element not recorded
Table 2
|
Year |
Location |
Expenditure |
|
2018 |
Brackloon Wood |
€10,045 |
|
2020 |
Brackloon Wood |
€21,616 |
|
2021 |
Brackloon Wood, Tawnyard |
€6,451 |
|
2022 |
Brackloon Wood, Sheskin, Teevenish |
€23,171 |
|
2023 |
Brackloon Wood, Sheskin |
€2,730 |
|
|
Total |
€64,013 |
874. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the next round of the Community Centre Investment Fund will allow for the development of new community centres in areas; if existing community centres will be permitted to apply for funding for carparks and footpaths; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35001/23]
View answerCommunity centres are the cornerstone of community life in many towns, villages and urban areas around the country. This Government recognises the important role they play in community life in Ireland, bringing people together and engaging with those who may be marginalised or disadvantaged.
With this in mind, my Department has put in place an integrated programme of supports for the establishment and development of community centres across schemes such as CLÁR, LEADER, the Community Support Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, and of course the Community Centres Investment Fund which provides a specific funding line to support centres. In particular, CLÁR provides funding for carparks and footpaths at community facilities.
The focus of the 2022 Community Centres Investment Fund was the improvement and refurbishment of existing community centres across Ireland. Over €45.8 million has been committed to this important refurbishment work.
This year the focus of the Fund moved to new builds. I want to assist community groups striving to build their own community centre to service local needs. In March, I was delighted to announce a €20 million Fund to support communities with ‘shovel-ready’ projects on green or brownfield sites to build new community centres. This Measure will target areas which do not have an appropriate facility to meet the needs of their area. The deadline for receipt of applications was 3rd July and the assessment process has now commenced.
I am committed to ensuring that there is clear support in place for community centres across the range of schemes referenced above, and decisions in relation to any further iterations of the Community Centre Investment Fund will be taken in the context of the upcoming annual budgetary process.
875. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline, with regard to recommendation 14 of the Report of the Working Group on Control of Dogs, which stakeholders will be involved in this group; how the group’s agenda will be set; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35175/23]
View answerRecommendation 14 of the working group report proposes the establishment of a stakeholders group on control of dogs issues. This group will be convened by my Department, with representation from DAFM and will provide a forum for stakeholder organisations to express their views on issues and possible solutions related to dog control issues.
The draft terms of reference and a list of potential stakeholders is currently under consideration and I hope to provide further information in the coming weeks.
My officials will continue to work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to co-ordinate efforts in the area of dog control and related issues across government, and I look forward to engaging with stakeholders as we progress this important work.
876. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the review of areas eligible for inclusion in the CLÁR Programme will be finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35348/23]
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 292 projects supported.
A review of CLÁR areas nationally was undertaken in 2021 using the 2016 Census of Population data. The review examined the most recent changes in population patterns throughout the country on the basis of this 2016 data. It also examined the approach to developing the existing CLÁR designations, which is based on 2002 data, and considered how changes in population since then impacted on designations.
From the review it is clear that many areas have seen population growth in the relevant period rather than decline, and indeed the most recent census data published by the Central Statistics Office point to population growth across all counties since 2016.
The details of the review are being considered by my Department before any decisions are made in relation to areas throughout Ireland which will be designated as eligible for CLÁR.
877. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the capital budget allocation to her Department in the years of 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35472/23]
View answerFollowing a supplementary estimate in November 2022, the gross capital allocation for the Department of Rural and Community Development in 2022 was €193.9 million.
The gross capital allocation in 2023 is €231 million.
This information is provided below in tabular format.
|
€, m |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Gross capital budget allocation |
193.9 |
231 |
878. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline the internships, apprenticeships and graduate schemes run by her Department and public bodies under the aegis of her Department. [35492/23]
View answerMy Department fully supports the roll out of the Public Service Apprenticeship Recruitment Plan and will engage with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to the roll out of apprenticeship programmes within the Department.
DRCD places a lot of importance on programmes which can provide pathways for people with disabilities and those in marginalised groups to join the workforce. For example, the Department has recruited two WAM (Willing Able Mentoring) graduates who will start their placement with DRCD on 4th September 2023. This is a graduate programme for people with disabilities. The Department is also engaging with colleagues in the Department of Justice in relation to the Traveller and Roma Internship Programme for the Civil Service.
There are 4 agencies under the aegis of my Department: Water Safety Ireland (WSI), Pobal, the Western Development Commission (WDC) and the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA).
Pobal works in partnership with the National College of Ireland (NCI) to offer professional work experience placements to Transition Year and Leaving Certificate Applied students in a number of disadvantaged schools based in the Dublin North East Inner City area. This provides 4th and 5th year students with high quality 1 – 2 week work placements.
In January 2023 the WDC hosted a BA Government: Politics, Economics and Law student placement from the University of Galway (NUIG) for 5 months.
There are no internship, apprenticeship or graduate schemes currently in place in Water Safety Ireland or the Charities Regulatory Authority.
