Parliamentary questions

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]

LEADER Programmes

Niamh Smyth

1583. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will address a matter in relation to Leader funding (details supplied); if she will provide clarity on Leader allocations for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32995/20]

LEADER Programmes

Dara Calleary

1584. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funds she secured in Budget 2021 for projects, delivery and administration of a Leader programme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33014/20]

Rural Development Plan

Dara Calleary

1585. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position of a new national rural development plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33015/20]

Community Enterprise Centres

Dara Calleary

1586. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the programmes available in her Department to facilitate the development of locally based innovation centres, for example, similar to the gteic model in Gaeltacht areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33016/20]

LEADER Programmes

John McGuinness

1587. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if funding has been allocated for new Leader projects in 2021; if so, the amount allocated; if separate funding has been allocated for the delivery and administration of the Leader programme 2021; if the National Rural Development Plan for the period 2021 to 2023 which is identified as a priority in the programme for Government will be launched shortly; if there is a time frame for the completion of the plan and for the launch; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33039/20]

Departmental Funding

Joe McHugh

1588. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration has been given to a specific funding package for towns and villages to enable tidy towns committees or a chamber of commerce to administer the funding of Christmas lights for December 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33057/20]

Departmental Contracts

Seán Sherlock

1589. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of contracts approved in her Department in 2019 and to date in 2020 without competitive tender; the details of the contracts; the company awarded the contracts; and the full value of the contracts in tabular form. [33278/20]

Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Cathal Crowe

1590. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will consider extending the completion date required for works funded under the auspices of the town and village renewal scheme in view of the fact that Covid-19 restrictions have hampered the progression of these works in many communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33359/20]

National Broadband Plan

Éamon Ó Cuív

1591. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made to date in rolling out the broadband connection points under the national broadband scheme contracted out by her Department; the locations of the broadband connection points provided to date; the locations still waiting on these promised points; the date they will be all provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33636/20]

Data Protection

Mary Lou McDonald

1592. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of data protection breaches identified within her Department in 2019. [33851/20]

Capital Expenditure Programme

Matt Shanahan

1593. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide all disbursements of capital spending above €20 million on completed projects for each year since 2016 by name of project, department or body responsible for delivering project, county, NUTS3 region, type of investment, construction commencement, completion year and actual cost in tabular form. [34190/20]

Town and Village Renewal Scheme

Éamon Ó Cuív

211. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there will be further approvals under the town and village accelerated measure round 3 scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32168/20]

Departmental Schemes

Éamon Ó Cuív

212. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the schemes announced by her Department seeking applications for funding in which no announcements have yet been made in relation to approvals; when approvals will issue under the schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32169/20]

Departmental Funding

Éamon Ó Cuív

213. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total capital and current allocation to her Department in 2020; the amount spent to date by both; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32170/20]

Sport and Recreational Development

Claire Kerrane

214. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there are grants that a limited company with charitable status can apply for in order to improve a recreational area (details supplied); if so, if the grants are available now or in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32178/20]

LEADER Programmes

Seán Sherlock

271. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the Leader programme will provide for new applications in 2021. [31832/20]

LEADER Programmes

Seán Sherlock

272. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that has been made available for a national rural development programme as committed to in the Programme for Government to replace the current Leader programme in 2021. [31833/20]

LEADER Programmes

Seán Sherlock

273. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the consultation that has taken place with stakeholders on the development of a transitionary Leader programme to 2023; and the way in which she plans to proceed in terms of developing a national rural development programme as outlined in the Programme for Government. [31834/20]

Communities Facilities Scheme

Brendan Griffin

812. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if funding streams are available to a group (details supplied) to keep a centre open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30934/20]

Community Services Programme

Michael Healy-Rae

813. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if funding will be provided to allow for a full-time staff member to be employed at a community centre (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30955/20]

Local Development Companies

Paul McAuliffe

814. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans for local development companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31104/20]

Water and Sewerage Schemes

Joe Carey

815. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress in relation to the provision of wastewater infrastructure for unsewered villages using the rural regeneration and development fund of the national development plan in conjunction with Irish Water (details supplied); the Departments and State agencies that will be involved in the delivery of this proposed new scheme to provide wastewater infrastructure to unsewered villages; the Department or State agency that will take the lead in the provision of these vital schemes; if funding has been ring-fenced to facilitate such projects; when it will be open for applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31121/20]

Digital Hubs

Patricia Ryan

816. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of digital hubs opened in 2020, by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31447/20]

Digital Hubs

Holly Cairns

817. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way in which the €5 million in the budget for town and village hubs will be deployed to assist 2020 students participate in third level education remotely. [31771/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Michael McNamara

818. 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 for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30944/20]

Rural Regeneration and Development Fund

Patricia Ryan

819. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the Athy food hub; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31443/20]

Walks Scheme

Christopher O'Sullivan

820. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will grant farmers entry into the walks scheme for a green light for the Bantry active way as soon as possible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31491/20]

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Niamh Smyth

821. 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; the status of this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31582/20]