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Thursday, 9 May 2024

Written Answers Nos. 328-337

Rural Schemes

Questions (330, 333, 336)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

330. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she expects to extend the criteria whereby urban and rural community groups might be expected to more readily qualify for grant assistance from her Department depending on the need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21134/24]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

333. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she might consider broadening the eligibility for the various rural community schemes operated by her Department in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21137/24]

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Bernard Durkan

Question:

336. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which her Department continues to address the issue of urban and rural isolation with particular reference to those who live alone and depend on community support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21140/24]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 330, 333 and 336 together.

My Department operates a range of programmes and schemes that support economic and community development in urban and rural areas throughout the country. The targeted investments and supports which my Department provides to regional, rural and local communities through a wide range of initiatives promote social inclusion, rural, town and village regeneration, outdoor recreation, facilitate new working opportunities, and foster regional enterprise growth.

In delivering on our remit my Department liaises with stakeholders in communities around the county on an ongoing basis, 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 ongoing and changing needs of those communities.

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.

Addressing the issue of isolation in communities has become more important than ever before. Many of my Department's policies and funding programmes aim to address social isolation issues in communities, and also deliver benefits by responding to the challenges facing vulnerable individuals. Funding to tackle social isolation and support those in our communities in most need of assistance is channelled through schemes such as the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Community Services Programme (CSP), and the Seniors Alert Scheme (SAS).

I am confident that the broad range of schemes in place ensure that all types and sizes of community groups can access funding at an appropriate level, and will continue to focus on ensuring our grant funding impacts positively on our communities.

Digital Hubs

Questions (331)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

331. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she and her Department continue to encourage the creation of digital hubs outside of the main areas of investment with a view to lowering the pressure on transport and communications in those areas most densely populated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21135/24]

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Written answers

Our Rural Future recognises the opportunity that remote working presents for rural rejuvenation and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by 2025.

Remote working hubs provide an opportunity for people to continue to live in rural communities while following their career ambitions, supporting the retention of skilled people in rural communities and attracting mobile talent to rural areas. They can reduce commuting time, while lowering transport emissions, providing a better work-life balance and improved quality of life. 

Significant levels of funding have been invested by my Department in the development of remote working projects through programmes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, Community Centre Investment Fund and Connected Hubs Calls. Successful projects are developed in collaboration with local authorities and communities with many seeing vacant and derelict buildings in rural towns and villages converted into remote working hubs.

In 2021, I launched connectedhubs.ie, a shared online booking and payments platform for remote working hubs and their users. There are currently 359 remote working facilities across the country on-boarded to the platform, nine of which are located in Co Kildare.

The initial focus of the Connected Hubs initiative was on establishing the network of hubs, achieving an initial critical mass and on raising awareness to relevant stakeholders, including SMEs and business owners. This was underpinned by significant levels of investment by my Department through the range of schemes included in the Rural Development Investment Programme supporting enterprise, remote working and community hubs. The fifth Call for RRDF funding proposals closed on the 8th February 2024 and the successful projects will be announced shortly.

I am now focused on the next stage of development of the national hub network. To this end my Department is currently leading, with colleagues from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment and in consultation with local authorities, communities and with other stakeholders, on the formulation of a National Hub Strategy which I intend to bring to Government this year. 

The Strategy will inform the future strategic direction of the National Hub Network and help to underpin the strategic development and sustainability of Ireland’s Hub Infrastructure.

Rural Schemes

Questions (332)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

332. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the full extent of awards made by her Department under the town and village renewal scheme throughout Ireland; her expectations in respect of this or similar schemes in the course of the current year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21136/24]

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Written answers

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. Since the launch of the scheme over €177 million has been allocated to almost 1,800 projects across Ireland. The Scheme has supported towns and villages the length and breadth of the country.

The 2023 TVRS had a renewed focus on town centre economic and social recovery and regeneration to be achieved through projects focusing on town centre regeneration, enhancing our streetscapes and bringing vacant and derelict buildings back into use as community multipurpose spaces through refurbishment and renovation.

On 29 April I announced funding of over €20 million for 82 projects which were successful in securing funding under the 2023 Scheme. Local authorities have 18 months to deliver the approved projects, and in recognition of the difficulties in delivering large scale projects and projects located on offshore islands, an elongated delivery time frame of up to 24 months is allowed for these projects under the 2023 Scheme. A full list of the approved projects is attached for the Deputy's information.

As committed under Our Rural Future, and the Town Centre First Policy, scheme priorities are reviewed at the end of each scheme year to ensure that funding is targeted effectively to support vibrant and attractive communities and to respond to changing needs and opportunities.

The review process for the next iteration of the scheme will commence shortly and I expect to launch a further call for applications later this year.

2023 TVRS Approved Projects PDF

Question No. 333 answered with Question No. 330.

Public Participation Networks

Questions (334)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

334. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent of her Department's support through the public participation network for various groups and communities around the country over the past two years; her future proposals in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21138/24]

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Written answers

Public Participation Networks (PPNs) were established under the Local Government Reform Act of 2014. They provide representation for the community sector in local policymaking, giving local groups a greater say in local government decisions which affect their communities. Membership of a PPN is open to all volunteer-led/not-for-profit groups in a local authority area, and almost 20,000 groups nationwide are currently members of a PPN.

My Department has overall responsibility for the funding, governance oversight and development of the network of 31 PPNs in place across the country. It provides a range of supports to PPNs and strives to ensure best practice is maintained and supported.

Funding for PPNs increased from €2.45 million in 2022 to €2.95 million in 2024. This means that this year, my Department will provide up to €85,700 in funding to each of the 31 PPNs around the country.

In addition, my Department funds a number of structural supports to assist the ongoing development of the PPNs. For example, last year my Department funded and coordinated a campaign to increase awareness of PPNs nationally and locally, which was developed in consultation with PPN stakeholders. The campaign ran from 21st February to 31st March 2023, with radio and social media ads, and articles published in a range of national and regional media. The campaign also included the development and delivery of tailored communications training, and a communications toolkit and best practice guide which were shared with all 31 PPNs.

My Department also funds the annual national PPN conference each year, a retreat for PPN staff members, an advisory service for operational questions related to HR and governance, IT support services, and a range of training supports for PPNs and their stakeholders.

Following the publication of the PPN Structural Review Report in June 2022, my Department established a Working Group made up of a range of PPN stakeholders to oversee the development and implementation of a Roadmap of future actions, based on the review report and feedback received on it from stakeholders.  A draft Roadmap has been agreed by the Working Group, and a consultation was held with the wider PPN stakeholder groups on the document.  Once finalised,

it is anticipated that the implementation of Roadmap actions will begin this year.  Given the growth and change that has occurred since PPNs were established, the Roadmap will be an important step to enabling PPNs to continue to thrive.

In conclusion, my Department is committed to continuing to support PPNs both financially and structurally so that local communities can continue to contribute to local government policy making.

Rural Schemes

Questions (335)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

335. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the expenditure to date under the rural regeneration and development fund; the extent to which the fund has attracted local indigenous support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21139/24]

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Written answers

The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland.

Since the RRDF was established in 2018, 215 projects have been approved for funding of €414 million. Expenditure of RRDF funding to date is €179.7 million. 

The projects supported by the RRDF are coordinated and integrated projects which can involve co-operation between public bodies and communities, philanthropic funders and the private sector. 

Matched funding must be provided by applicants and may be in the form of a combination of wider Exchequer and/or State sector expenditure, local authority investment and/or land, community investment, philanthropic contributions, private sector investment (where appropriate), or other asset contributions.

Match funding of €157 million has been committed to RRDF projects to date, bringing the total investment in rural towns and villages to €571 million.

Beyond the level of investment and match-funding, it is clear that the RRDF is having a transformational impact in rural areas, and interest in the scheme is very strong. In the most recent call for applications under Category 1, 60 applications were received covering a wide range of strategic rural investment areas including regeneration, heritage, community facilities and enterprise development.

I expect to be in a position to announce allocations from the fifth call shortly.

Question No. 336 answered with Question No. 330.

Voluntary Sector

Questions (337)

David Stanton

Question:

337. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline the actions that have been taken by her department under the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025 to increase awareness among individuals, families and groups of how their skills, interests and education can contribute to society; the amount expended to date on this specific commitment under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21157/24]

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Written answers

The first National Volunteering Strategy was published in December 2020.  The strategy, produced in collaboration with the community and voluntary and business sectors, provides a vision and road map for both volunteers and those organisations who benefit from the work of volunteers. 

The Strategy comprises five high level objectives, with 56 associated actions, and outlines a whole-of-government framework to support the volunteering environment. 

Since the publication of the National Volunteering Strategy the budget for volunteering has steadily increased, going from €3.5m in 2021 to €6.6m this year.

While the Strategy as a whole aims to increase participation in volunteering and increase awareness on how people can use their skills, interests and education to contribute to society, my Department has provided funding to implement actions which specifically address the area. These include:

• Action 1 - Introduce flexible volunteering options through the delivery of a time and needs match programme

• Action 2 - Provide public information and more awareness programmes to enable people to volunteer:

• from marginalised communities

• from ethnic minorities

• with disabilities.

• Action 13 – Support volunteer involving organisations to introduce task based volunteering as an alternative to role based volunteering where people can volunteer for a task as opposed to a role.

• Action 37 - Develop a national communications strategy on volunteering.

  In addition, my Department provides funding each year to support Volunteer Ireland and the network of 29 Volunteer Centres across the country to provide support and capacity building for volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. The Department has also provided funding to The Wheel to assist in the delivery of the volunteering element of WE ACT, a national public awareness campaign celebrating the community and voluntary sector and encouraging people to participate.  

Further information on progress implementing the National Volunteering Strategy is available at gov - National Volunteering Strategy – Annual Updates (www.gov.ie) 

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