Parliamentary questions

Public Procurement Contracts

Neasa Hourigan

717. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the awards made both with and without a tender process to management consultancy firms (details supplied) by her Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form and classed by firm; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10119/23]

Public Procurement Contracts

Neasa Hourigan

718. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the awards made both with and without a tender process to an organisation (details supplied) by her Department and aegis bodies for each of the years 2018 to 2022 inclusive, in tabular form; the purpose and a brief description of the awards; the value of the awards and the total amounts paid; the timeline or timeframe of the contracts; and the desired or completed output. [10137/23]

Rural Schemes

Claire Kerrane

719. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the grants currently available or due to become available for improvement works to community centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10189/23]

Rural Schemes

Robert Troy

720. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the rural regeneration schemes will re-open for new applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10204/23]

Rural Schemes

Michael Healy-Rae

721. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10206/23]

Rural Schemes

Steven Matthews

722. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the position regarding a review of the CLÁR funding programme to expand the qualifying criteria to allow more rural groups to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10220/23]

Rural Schemes

Steven Matthews

723. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 746 of 21 February 2023, if the CLÁR programme will be expanded to allow groups, including an organisation (details supplied) qualify for funding, due to its membership living in a variety of locations in County Wicklow. [10221/23]

Rural Schemes

Claire Kerrane

1. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the development of a rural proofing mechanism, as outlined in Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8768/23]

Community Development Projects

Noel Grealish

2. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the scheme for funding new community centres will be open for applications, given that the scheme has now been announced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9206/23]

Community Development Projects

Paul Donnelly

3. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps being taken to deal with the retention of staff in community development projects in view of the fact that large numbers of staff are leaving to fill roles in the HSE and in local authority-run projects; and if there is a plan to introduce pay parity to encourage more people to join the sector. [9207/23]

Departmental Funding

Michael Collins

4. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of funding that has been allocated to Cork South-West since the rural regeneration and redevelopment fund grant aid commenced; where it has been allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9426/23]

Island Communities

Catherine Connolly

5. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 401 of 19 January 2023, the date on which the new policy for the islands will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9410/23]

Community Development Projects

David Stanton

6. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way her Department is supporting men’s sheds and sister sheds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9020/23]

Harbours and Piers

Mairéad Farrell

7. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the progress in relation to repairs and works to be carried out on the piers for the Islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8369/23]

Departmental Programmes

James O'Connor

8. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the constituency of Cork east will receive funding under the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme. [9273/23]

Departmental Schemes

Niamh Smyth

9. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative for Ballyconnell, County Cavan. [9231/23]

Departmental Strategies

Thomas Gould

10. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role her Department is taking in the implementation of the national drugs strategy. [9262/23]

Rural Schemes

Alan Dillon

11. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the 2023 town and village renewal scheme will open for applications; the priorities or themes that will be central to this coming year's scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9228/23]

Departmental Programmes

Niamh Smyth

12. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of community groups in counties Cavan and Monaghan that are in receipt of funding under the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme. [9232/23]

Departmental Funding

Holly Cairns

13. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline the funding programmes available to men’s and women’s sheds from her Department. [8588/23]

Community Development Projects

Claire Kerrane

14. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development how her Department is engaging with local communities to encourage awareness and applications to the community recognition fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8977/23]

Offshore Islands

Catherine Connolly

15. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 401 of 19 January 2023, the date on which the new policy for the islands will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9083/23]

Environmental Policy

Richard Bruton

16. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has assessed the potential for the rural economy of the development of circular economy strategies; and the extent to which initiatives with a focus on more sustainable use of products and materials, and on recovery and reuse are figuring among projects receiving support from her Department. [8133/23]

Departmental Schemes

Brendan Griffin

17. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will consider a reform of the funding model for the local improvement scheme, in view of the unsustainably long waiting lists in counties such as Kerry, notwithstanding the substantial provision of funding to County Kerry in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9268/23]

Harbours and Piers

Catherine Connolly

18. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Question No. 320 of 14 December 2022, if she will provide an update on the development of Caladh Mór pier on Inis Meáin; if her Department has received the draft business case to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9084/23]

Departmental Programmes

Holly Cairns

19. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on increasing the annual funding for the LEADER programme. [8586/23]

Rural Schemes

Aindrias Moynihan

20. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding drawn down to date for a project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9223/23]

Departmental Policies

David Stanton

21. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the way her Department encourages and supports the development of community representative organisations, especially in areas where none currently exist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9019/23]

Rural Schemes

Brian Stanley

22. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps being taken to implement a community wealth building strategy in rural Ireland similar to that of Preston City Council and Ayrshire County Council. [8945/23]

Flexible Work Practices

Ruairí Ó Murchú

23. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will give an update on the work being carried out on remote working hubs and broadband connection points; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8153/23]

Departmental Schemes

Cathal Crowe

24. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the works on a building (details supplied) in Kilrush, to be funded by the building acquisition measure of the town and village renewal scheme. [9042/23]

Official Engagements

Peadar Tóibín

25. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on her recent attendance at the Future Forum on Rural Development in Berlin. [8424/23]

Departmental Schemes

Brian Leddin

26. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the outcomes of the pilot bike and e-bike upcycling initiative; her plans to bring additional organisations into the initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9229/23]

Library Services

Rose Conway-Walsh

27. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the steps she is taking to address the growing challenges libraries face in affording e-books and the increasingly restrictive terms applied by publishers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9275/23]

Departmental Programmes

Paul McAuliffe

28. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to increase funding for the social inclusion and community activation programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9240/23]

National Broadband Plan

Denis Naughten

29. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the high-speed internet hubs announced under the National Broadband Plan will be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2039/23]

Departmental Schemes

Ruairí Ó Murchú

30. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline the mechanism open to local authorities who wish to provide seating and viewpoints on mountains enjoyed by walkers such as the Cooley Mountains in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8154/23]

Departmental Schemes

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor

31. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the public realm improvements scheme for the enhancement of the River Barrow in Bagenalstown, County Carlow, due to be completed under the town and village renewal scheme. [9022/23]

Departmental Correspondence

Peadar Tóibín

32. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has received correspondence for representatives of the agricultural sector related to a recent EPA report (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8425/23]

Departmental Policies

Claire Kerrane

33. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the roll-out of the towns first policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8976/23]

Offshore Islands

Éamon Ó Cuív

34. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when work commenced on the development of an Island Plan or Policy; when it is now hoped to publish it; the reason for the delay in doing this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9176/23]

Departmental Policies

Willie O'Dea

35. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the measures her Department is taking to address poverty and social exclusion across Ireland. [9253/23]

Departmental Funding

Catherine Connolly

36. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 321 of 14 December 2022, the status of the 2023 community centres investment fund which will be targeted for new build community centres; the details of the funding that will be allocated to new build community centres under the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9086/23]

Vacant Properties

Colm Burke

37. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the purchasing of vacant and derelict properties for future development as community assets by Cork City Council and Cork County Council under the building acquisition measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9256/23]

Legislative Reviews

Pádraig O'Sullivan

38. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she has met with the Working Group established to review the Control of Dogs Act 1986; if a timeframe for the completion of the review has been established; her views on the composition of the group; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8797/23]

Departmental Policies

Thomas Gould

39. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the role her Department is taking in the Town Centres First policy initiative. [9263/23]

Departmental Schemes

Colm Burke

40. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the rural regeneration and development fund to date; if she will provide an update on the list of all projects which are scheduled for completion in Cork in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9255/23]

Offshore Islands

Catherine Connolly

41. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 401 of 19 January 2023, the status of the examination of the draft Islands policy by her Department; when she expects to bring the approved policy before Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9082/23]

Harbours and Piers

Catherine Connolly

42. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 319 of 14 December 2022, if she will provide an update on the development of the pier on Inis Oírr; the status of the CPO process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9085/23]

Departmental Funding

Paul McAuliffe

43. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to provide grants to community centres in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9239/23]