Parliamentary questions

Community Development Projects

Paul Donnelly

1. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to report on the community centres investment fund; who has received funding; what stage each project is at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20937/24]

Tidy Towns

Seán Sherlock

2. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will request that the national judging of the Tidy Towns competition take place after the local elections in order to allow for any posters erected for the elections to be taken down in a timely manner. [20953/24]

Community Development Projects

Thomas Gould

3. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department will provide assistance to develop a community centre in Fair Hill, Cork city. [20940/24]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

4. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on the implementation to date of the policy for the islands; if she has received any reports or updates to date from the monitoring committee for the implementation of the policy for the islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20765/24]

Rural Schemes

Robert Troy

5. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department is taking any action regarding obstacles that can arise in carrying out projects under the local improvements scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20905/24]

Control of Dogs

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

6. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development what efforts are being made by her Department to ensure that local authorities are enforcing the legislation in relation to collecting fines under dog control regulations. [20942/24]

Rural Schemes

Cathal Crowe

7. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will significantly increase the allocation from her Department to the local improvement scheme. [20838/24]

Departmental Schemes

Pádraig O'Sullivan

8. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration would be given for larger local authorities such as Cork County Council to make additional submissions to the town and village renewal scheme to account for the larger population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20404/24]

Rural Schemes

Aindrias Moynihan

9. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has received any request for drawdown of funds in respect of local improvement scheme works not completed in 2023 from any local authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20731/24]

Departmental Programmes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

10. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the assessment of applications under the community services programme, administered by Pobal, to include the numbers of applications received, the numbers that were successful and whether there will be additional funding provided this year, given the volume of applications received; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20864/24]

Library Services

Alan Farrell

11. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on her Department's support for community libraries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20570/24]

Rural Recreation Policy

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

12. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of interest in the national walks scheme, currently open for expressions of interest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20663/24]

Rural Schemes

Robert Troy

13. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to detail the funding that remains to be allocated in 2024 under the various schemes managed by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20906/24]

International Protection

Richard O'Donoghue

14. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the future services and infrastructure her Department will provide for communities that are housing refugees fleeing war. [19528/24]

Harbours and Piers

Catherine Connolly

15. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 52 of 5 March 2024, for a status update on the development of Inis Oírr pier; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20761/24]

Rural Schemes

Pauline Tully

16. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has finalised its report on rural proofing; when this report will be made public; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20899/24]

Library Services

Seán Sherlock

17. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of applications received to date in 2024 from local authorities for new or refurbished libraries; and the capital estimated cost of same, in tabular form. [20956/24]

Departmental Schemes

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

18. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on her Department’s plans to address dereliction and vacancy in rural towns and villages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20943/24]

Rural Schemes

Ciarán Cannon

19. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the successful RRDF grants in County Galway will be announced. [20896/24]

Rural Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

20. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when an announcement will be made in relation to the approval of the current round of applications under the RRDF; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20815/24]

Departmental Funding

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

21. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on the Communities Centre Investment Fund in County Carlow. [20608/24]

Control of Dogs

Peadar Tóibín

22. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the work of her Department in combatting dog attacks on sheep and livestock; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20532/24]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

23. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 45 of 5 March 2024, the status of the monitoring committee for the implementation of the new policy for the islands; the dates of all meetings to date; the date of the next meeting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20763/24]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

24. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 59 of 5 March 2024, the status of the development of Caladh Mor on Inis Meáin; the status of the preparation of the preliminary business case; if the consultant has been appointed to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20764/24]

Island Communities

Éamon Ó Cuív

25. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made to date with the development of Céibh an Chalaidh Mhóir in Inis Meáin; the timeline for the processes that will have to be gone through to get this project to construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20814/24]

Rural Schemes

Bernard Durkan

26. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent of the monies allocated and spent by her Department through the various schemes available to rural/urban community groups suffering from isolation/deprivation; the extent to which such expenditure continues to benefit directly from schemes under the aegis of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20835/24]

Rural Schemes

Bernard Durkan

27. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she intends to continue with her Department’s support for rural and/or urban community groups under the various schemes available in order to reassure people in these areas that it is her intention to continue with such programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20834/24]

Rural Schemes

Brendan Griffin

28. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she is concerned with the broad variance of outcomes in terms of numbers of roads completed per funding per local authority under the local improvement scheme; if she will consider measures to examine whether local authorities are achieving value for money with the funding provided by her Department; if she will specifically examine how Mayo County Council can have completed 549 road improvements since 2017 with just marginally more funding than Kerry County Council, where just 196 roads were completed in the same period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20867/24]

Rural Recreation Policy

Marc Ó Cathasaigh

29. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she is aware of the St. Declan's Way Strategic Plan 2024 - 2028 launched recently (details supplied); her views on same, in particular in relation to how best to grow the offering of the route; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20662/24]

Library Services

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

30. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development what efforts are underway to increase library membership and participation; and to provide an update on membership numbers at local authority libraries each year over the past five years. [20944/24]

Departmental Policies

Pauline Tully

31. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the timeframe within which she plans to introduce a rural proofing model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20900/24]

Rural Recreation Policy

Michael Ring

32. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development what funding is available for walks and trails from her Department; if she will be announcing further funding shortly; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20893/24]

Rural Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

33. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline, in relation to the local improvement scheme, the amount of funding available for County Meath under the scheme; the initiatives taking place in County Meath; if she plans to increase funding available to County Meath under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20810/24]

Departmental Funding

Niamh Smyth

34. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on the community centre fund when it comes to existing centres getting investment for refurbishment/renovation; when this is likely to open to applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20631/24]

Rural Recreation Policy

Brendan Griffin

35. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she expects to announce successful ORIS applications; if her attention has been drawn to the Strand 3 application from Kerry County Council in respect of the Kilderry looped amenity walk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20866/24]

Rural Recreation Policy

Pádraig O'Sullivan

36. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme will be launched; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20405/24]

Broadcasting Sector

Paul Donnelly

37. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to give a commitment to multi-annual funding for local community radio stations that operate the community services programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20939/24]

Rural Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

38. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on any engagement her Department has had with the Department of Transport and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in relation to enhancement of the LIS allocations for counties affected by flooding, particularly Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20865/24]

Control of Dogs

Niamh Smyth

39. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she or her Department officials have had discussions with Cavan County Council on dog control matters, given that it was recently reported that no dog control fines were issued by the local authority last year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18145/24]

Water Safety

Seán Sherlock

40. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the engagement she has had with local authorities with coastal beaches and inland swimming lakes on funding for extended lifeguard personnel; and if she intends to extend the lifeguard season in light of changing weather in months such as September. [20957/24]

Rural Schemes

Michael Ring

41. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total amount of funding made available for the LIS since her Department was established in 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20892/24]

Departmental Funding

Ciarán Cannon

42. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will open up a new round of funding for upgrade and refurbishment works in community centres in County Galway. [20898/24]

Departmental Schemes

Alan Farrell

43. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for an update on her Department's efforts to bring more vacant buildings into use in towns and villages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20571/24]

Departmental Schemes

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

44. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development how Carlow is benefiting from the 2023 town and village renewal scheme. [20607/24]

Rural Schemes

Peadar Tóibín

45. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the work and progress of 'Our Rural Future'. [20533/24]

Departmental Schemes

Darren O'Rourke

46. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline, in relation to internships, apprenticeships and graduate schemes run by her Department, the places that are available in County Meath; the number filled in County Meath; if there are plans to increase same; the length of any waiting list for places in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20811/24]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

47. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 49 of 5 March 2024, for a status update on the transfer to her Department of land on Inisbofin on which the airstrip is situated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20762/24]

Youth Services

Aindrias Moynihan

48. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development for the up-to-date position on the recommendation of the National Rural Youth Assembly, Summary Report 2023 to provide a community liaison person who would facilitate contact between younger people in the community and Government bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20732/24]

Middle East

Matt Carthy

49. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the timeframe in which he intends to submit a declaration to intervene in the case of South Africa v. Israel taken under the Genocide Convention at the International Court of Justice, ICJ. [21105/24]

Passport Services

Matt Carthy

50. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his proposals to ensure the Passport Office operates efficiently throughout the busy summer period; if he will ensure that applicants can avail of urgent passport renewal or first-time in-person application and collection services when required; and if he will outline the number of additional staff who will be appointed to the Passport Office in the coming weeks. [21106/24]