Parliamentary questions

Flexible Work Practices

Catherine Connolly

51. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of the 275 publicly-accessible broadband connection points promised by the end of 2020 that are now live by county; the number of these that are on offshore islands; when the outstanding points will be connected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34144/20]

LEADER Programmes

Seán Sherlock

52. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the LEADER programme will provide for new applications in 2021. [34149/20]

LEADER Programmes

Éamon Ó Cuív

53. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to provide funding in 2021 for the administrative costs of LAGs administering the LEADER programme on the ground and for projects approved up to 31 December 2020; if funding will also be approved for a new temporary rural development programme similar to LEADER for 2021 until a new Leader programme is approved and operational; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33587/20]

CLÁR Programme

Michael Moynihan

54. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if CLÁR funding is to be made available for tertiary roads; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34082/20]

Departmental Expenditure

Éamon Ó Cuív

55. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps she is taking to ensure the spend of all the capital allocation to her Department for 2020 in view of the low capital spend to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33588/20]

Rural Development Plan

Fergus O'Dowd

56. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to bring forward a new rural development strategy as a successor to the Action Plan for Rural Development 2017-2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33689/20]

Harbours and Piers

Mairéad Farrell

57. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the development of Inis Oírr pier will commence soon; and the timeline for same. [34023/20]

Rural Development Plan

Kieran O'Donnell

58. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to bring forward a new rural development policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34025/20]

Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Verona Murphy

343. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the town and village renewal scheme funding programme; if there are plans for this programme to be extended to 2021 and beyond; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34475/20]

Library Services

James Lawless

344. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on the provision of additional digital services through the library network as Ireland continues to live with Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27376/20]

Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme

Paul McAuliffe

345. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the proposed budget for the social inclusion community activation programme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34093/20]

Island Communities

Christopher O'Sullivan

346. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if budget 2021 is providing increased funding for the islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34098/20]

LEADER Programmes

Catherine Connolly

347. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of the €44 million allocated to the LEADER programme in budget 2021 that will be dedicated to new projects under LEADER in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34178/20]

Rural Development Programme

Thomas Pringle

348. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the analysis her Department has undertaken regarding the north west, in particular County Donegal; if her Department is examining rural development opportunities for the north west; the details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34378/20]

Rural Development Plan

Jackie Cahill

349. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the provisions in place for funding for the LEADER projects in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34384/20]

Rural Development Plan

Jackie Cahill

350. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans for funding for the delivery and administration for the LEADER projects due to the fact that there is no funding identifiable in budget 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34385/20]

Rural Development Plan

Jackie Cahill

351. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans for funding for the Rural Development Plan 2021 – 2023 due to the fact that there is no interim rural development plan announcement in budget 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34386/20]

Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Bernard Durkan

352. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the number of applications on hand or pending in respect of the 2020 town and village renewal scheme will be announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34456/20]

Flexible Work Practices

Bernard Durkan

353. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the ongoing work by her Department to support remote working initiatives; her views on the benefits of remote working for balanced regional development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34457/20]

Flexible Work Practices

Bernard Durkan

354. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which her Department has supported or expects to further develop remote working initiatives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34458/20]

Regional Development

Bernard Durkan

355. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which she and her Department have examined issues affecting the rural community with a view to addressing the most salient matters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34459/20]

Social Isolation

Bernard Durkan

356. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she and her Department are addressing the issue of rural isolation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34460/20]

Social Isolation

Bernard Durkan

357. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on rural isolation and the remedies being considered in this context; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34461/20]

Regional Development

Bernard Durkan

358. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the most serious issues as perceived by her Department affecting rural Ireland at present; if she expects to be in a position to address these issues in the short and medium term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34462/20]

Departmental Schemes

Bernard Durkan

359. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to address basic issues of social and or economic deprivation in rural communities throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34463/20]

Community Development Initiatives

Bernard Durkan

360. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which she and her Department have studied and assessed the need for community development in urban and rural areas with particular reference to issues arising from Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34464/20]

Community Development Initiatives

Bernard Durkan

361. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps she can take to encourage community development and involvement in all urban and rural settings throughout the country with particular reference to matters arising from Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34465/20]

Community Development Initiatives

Bernard Durkan

362. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of schemes available to her Department to support community development in all areas throughout the country with particular reference to areas affected by unemployment arising from Covid-19 or other socio-economic issues; the extent to which schemes are being tailored to meet the demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34466/20]

Community Development Projects

Bernard Durkan

363. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which the schemes to assist in rural and community development are available to communities throughout County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34467/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bernard Durkan

364. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which she and her Department have identified areas of special need arising from Covid-19 or Brexit in all areas throughout the country including County Kildare with a view to addressing such needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34468/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bernard Durkan

365. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of the budget for her Department to meet any exigencies arising from Covid-19 or Brexit in County Kildare or throughout the country in the course of the coming year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34469/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Bernard Durkan

366. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she and her Department have examined the full extent of negative socioeconomic impact of Brexit, Covid-19 or other issues such as natural disasters with a view to specific assistance through schemes available through her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34470/20]

LEADER Programmes

Bernard Durkan

367. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which applications have been made under the LEADER programme by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34471/20]

Walks Scheme

Jackie Cahill

368. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there are grants available for the planting of fruit trees or other types of tree on private lands that facilitate rural walkways for the public through them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34504/20]

LEADER Programmes

Thomas Gould

165. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the allocation provided to towns, villages and organisations in Cork under the LEADER programme in 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [34120/20]

Departmental Funding

Thomas Gould

166. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding available to towns, villages and rural community groups; and the way in which community groups apply for funding. [34121/20]

Local Development Companies

Brendan Smith

167. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding that will be provided for the 35 local development companies to prepare and deliver a two-year national rural development programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34133/20]

Local Development Companies

Brendan Smith

168. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will ensure that funding is provided for new projects under LEADER in 2021 in view of the importance of the programme for rural areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34134/20]

Local Improvement Scheme

Pádraig O'Sullivan

1571. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if access to the LIS will be provided to urban local authorities (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32603/20]

Library Services

Gary Gannon

1572. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will consider public libraries to run click and collect services under level 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32878/20]

Library Services

Michael Creed

1573. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the arrangements made to ensure that the library service continues to function on a click and collect basis to ensure that vulnerable persons can continue to have access to the library service. [32924/20]

Library Services

Mary Lou McDonald

1574. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has circulated an instruction to local authorities to cease call and collect public library services for the duration of the current level 5 restrictions. [32926/20]

Library Services

Claire Kerrane

1575. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason it is deemed essential for public library staff to attend work when the library cannot open to the public; the work within the closed public library that makes the staff there essential; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33246/20]

Protected Disclosures

Bríd Smith

1576. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the action she has taken in relation to whistle-blower disclosures made to and regarding a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32393/20]

Protected Disclosures

Bríd Smith

1577. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an audit of an area (details supplied) took place in March 2020; and the actions that have been taken by the relevant authorities on foot of its findings. [32394/20]

Protected Disclosures

Bríd Smith

1578. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the appointment by the local authority of an external person to work with a body (details supplied) in relation to ongoing issues there has taken place; and the cost of this external assistance. [32395/20]

Protected Disclosures

Bríd Smith

1579. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if a body (details supplied) was fined in 2015 by Pobal; the reason for this; and the actions taken by relevant bodies since to avoid a repetition of the actions that resulted in this fine. [32396/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Michael McNamara

1580. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 1481 of 8 September 2020, the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32520/20]

Community Development Initiatives

Niall Collins

1581. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if assistance can be provided to a group (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32742/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Niamh Smyth

1582. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of an appeal application following the decision to refuse a centre (details supplied) funding under the Covid-19 stability fund scheme; when a decision on this appeal will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32857/20]