Written Answers Nos. 600-618
600. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update in relation to the public procurement process in respect of works to be carried out at a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13336/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe proposed building project to provide a new school for Clifden Community School has encountered a number of difficulties since it was authorized to proceed to tender in 2014.
As a result of these difficulties, the Department has advised the school that the most expedient and effective means of progressing the project to construction is for the project to be re-tendered. The Design Team are currently finalizing the tender documentation and preparing the pre-qualification of contractors list with a view to proceeding to tender shortly.
601. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 213 of 26 February 2015 to detail the amount of expenditure on rented accommodation in the further education and training sector by education and training board area during each of the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13347/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA response was issued to the Deputy on Wednesday, 25 March 2015, giving details of the amount of expenditure on rented accommodation in the further education and training sector by education and training board (ETB) area, during each of the past three years, as requested. It took some time to collate this information from the ETBs.
602. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 505 of 10 February 2015 when a reply will be provided detailing the projected cost of abolishing fees for part-time postgraduate courses. [13348/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs previously advised, the information requested by the Deputy is not readily available within my Department and therefore officials of my Department requested the information from the Higher Education Authority.
It is estimated that the cost of abolishing fees for part-time postgraduate students would cost the State in the region of €43 million.
While the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees, through my Department's free fees schemes, in respect of full-time undergraduate students who meet the terms of the schemes, there are no plans at present to extend the schemes to other cohorts of students.
603. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 441 of 17 February 2015 when the Teaching Council will provide an update on the operation of Regulation 5 of the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2009; if a transition arrangement was introduced by the Teaching Council to provide teachers working before April 2013 time to acquire a recognised qualification; if she will provide the details of the transition arrangement; the number of persons who availed of this if it was in place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13349/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe matter raised by the Deputy in Parliamentary Question No. 441 of 17 February was referred for direct reply to the Teaching Council, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the recognition of teaching qualifications and the registration of teachers.
I understand that a comprehensive reply has recently been provided by the Council.
604. Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a progress report will be available on the promised new school building (details supplied) in County Galway; when the site will be finalised; when the project will be put out to tender; when construction will begin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13379/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials from my Department have been working very closely with Galway County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Department and the County and City Managers' Association to acquire a suitable site for the school referred to by the Deputy.
I can confirm that a suitable site has been identified and the site acquisition process is at an advanced stage. The site acquisition is subject to satisfactory completion of the conveyancing process. The tender process has identified a preferred bidder and the contract will commence when the site acquisition is complete.
605. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the actions being taken to address concerns by special needs assistants over the reduction of their working hours and the fragmentation of special needs assistants posts; and her views on the approval of the ballot for industrial action by the assistants represented by the IMPACT trade union. [13390/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of SNAs employed in a school depends on the allocation given to the school by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), based on its assessment of the special educational needs of pupils in the school. This allocation can increase or decrease from year to year depending on a variety of factors. My Department has no control over the allocation process to schools and is not in a position to influence the allocation process in light of the fact that the NCSE has been established as an independent statutory body by order of the Minister for Education and Science in December 2003.
Where schools receive a reduced SNA allocation, this is usually because pupils for whom the school had previously received an allocation in the school have left, or have declining care needs. These reduced allocations are counterbalanced by new allocations in respect of new enrolments elsewhere. It is also important to point out that, as part of the Budget 2015 announcements, the Government advised that it was making an additional 145 SNA posts available for allocation to the end of 2014 and an additional 220 posts available for 2015. This will bring to 11,330 the total number of SNA posts available for the NCSE to allocate to schools to work with children who have assessed care needs requiring SNA support in primary, post primary, and special schools. This is the largest number of posts that has ever been available for allocation and will ensure that my Department's policy of ensuring that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support.
In relation to the specific matter raised I have noted the Union decision to ballot SNAs for industrial action. I have asked IMPACT to contact officials in my Department with a view to exploring those issues which are now of concern to IMPACT, prior to the instigation of any industrial action by SNAs.
606. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will amend the Constitution to include a provision that a referendum would have to be held on any legislation relating to the privatisation of Irish Water. [12968/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra648. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the legislative guarantees that are in place to ensure that Irish Water will not be privatised in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12979/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 606 and 648 together.
The Water Services Act 2013 provided for the establishment of Irish Water as a subsidiary of Bord Gáis Éireann (now Ervia), conforming to the conditions contained in the Act and registered under the Companies Acts. Section 5 of the Act provides that one share in Irish Water shall be issued to Ervia with the remaining shares allocated equally between the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government and the Minister for Finance. Accordingly, Irish Water is in full State ownership. Subsection 5(6) of the Act, as amended by Section 46 of the Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013, prohibits each of the three shareholders from disposing of their shareholding in Irish Water and thus placed a statutory prohibition on the privatisation of Irish Water. To further strengthen this protection of the State’s ownership of the company, section 2 of the Water Services Act 2014 provides that any future proposal for legislation that would involve a change in the State ownership of Irish Water must be put to a plebiscite of the people. Accordingly, an amendment to the Constitution to prevent the privatisation of Irish Water is not necessary.
607. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out his views on the proposed legislation to enforce payment of water taxes; his further views on the widespread concerns and dissatisfaction of citizens regarding these taxes; and if he will immediately dissolve Irish Water and direct moneys and responsibility for citizens' water and sewerage supply back to local authorities acting on an individual and regional basis, as a matter of urgency. [12980/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra647. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline his planned legislation regarding water taxes; how he will collect so-called unpaid moneys; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12978/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 647 and 607 together. I refer to my replies to Questions Nos. 902 and 239 of 24 and 26 March 2015, respectively, which set out the position on these matters.
608. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the total projected cost of the water conservation grant, including all administrative and staffing costs. [13044/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra€130 million has been provided in my Department’s Estimate for the water conservation grant in 2015, which is intended to cover grant payments and all administration costs including staffing.
609. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how the outcome of the social inclusion and community activation programme tendering process resulted in five vital projects in some of the most deprived communities being axed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12673/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State and is being implemented on a transitional basis until the end of March 2015, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) on 1 April 2015. In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP is subject to a public procurement process, which is in its final stages. Tenderers have been informed of the outcome of their tender and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) are in the process of establishing contracts with the successful tenderers. I am satisfied that the procurement process was in line with good practice, conforming to EU norms.
Following the conclusion of the process, Pobal will publish a Contract Award Notice in the Official Journal of the EU ( http://ted.europa.eu/) and on the eTenders website.
The primary focus of my Department is to ensure that the front-line services being supported, particularly those focused on the needs of the most socially deprived communities, are protected, given the need to ensure best value for the scarce resources available. The new programme will continue to provide key supports to those most in need in our communities, including those areas to which the Question refers.
610. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 and the regulations to be made thereunder will be implemented in order that local authorities will have a proper legal process to pursue tenants who are in breach of the terms of their tenancy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12709/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWork is continuing to meet the commitment in the Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 to commence major provisions under Part 2 (Termination of Local Authority Tenancies, etc.) of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014, and it is expected that Statutory Instruments in this regard will be made shortly.
611. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the terms and conditions that exist for fire fighters in respect of the payment of pension entitlements by local authorities. [12730/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra612. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the pension entitlements local authority fire fighters are entitled to as a result of paying a pension levy. [12731/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 611 and 612 together.
Full time fire-fighters are members of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service.
In 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the LGSS and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service. Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of actual service (up to a maximum of four times the annual retainer).
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act (2009) states that any public servant who is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme, or receives a payment in lieu of membership in such a scheme, is subject to a deduction from their remuneration. Additional pension benefits do not arise as a result of this deduction. The payment of the gratuity is a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme, and as such retained fire-fighters are subject to the deduction outlined in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act (2009).
All full time and retained fire-fighters appointed after 1 January 2013 must join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.
613. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a risk assessment was conducted on the potential outcomes of the implementation of the national directorate for fire and emergency management Keeping Communities Safe document. [12732/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy document Keeping Communities Safe, (KCS) was published in February 2013 by my Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management. KCS answers calls made from many quarters over a number o f years for national standards to aid consistency in fire services provision by local authorities. Fire services can now be benchmarked against these national standards, using an Area Risk Categorisation process set out in KCS. The KCS development process had the benefit of oversight and international expertise from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and the overall approach is aligned with international best practice in this field. As well as having statutory duties under the Fire Services Acts, local authorities are governed by other legislation in undertaking their functions. Risk assessments are a statutory requirement for employers under safety, health and welfare at work legislation. As employers, local authorities have appropriate Safety Management Systems in place for their fire services, including risk assessments.
A range of guidance has been developed by the Local Government Management Agency and the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management to support local authority fire services in meeting their statutory obligations. These include:
- Fire Services Ancillary Safety Statement (2007) details Generic Risk Assessments;
- The National Incident Command System (2007) introduced Dynamic Risk Assessment at fire service operations;
- Standard Operational Guidance (issued in a number of tranches from 2010 to 2012) gives Situational Risk Assessments for the range of common incident types attended by fire services; and
- Additional guidance, titled Managing Safety in Fire Services, was issued in 2014 to align safety, health and welfare provisions in fire services with general local authority policy.
The above documents provide the basis for fire services’ risk assessments and are available for downloading from my Department’s website:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/Community/FireandEmergencyServices/. Additionally, risk assessments are developed, to ensure the safety of personnel, and to comply with a statutory responsibility under Section 19 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, (1989) where significant changes are proposed in fire services’ operations. The Research Document Fire Services Task Analysis and Crewing Levels (28 March, 2013) provides guidance on how the main tasks that may need to be carried out for identified incident types can be carried out safely with normal crew levels.
614. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review the cuts to funding for the next round of the Leader programme through to 2020; and if consideration will be given to the implementation of a parallel line of Government funding to compensate local communities across the State for this serious financial loss. [12734/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra615. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to explain the reason he and his Department came to the decision to allocate Leader programme funding on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12738/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra616. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the allocation under the Leader rural development programme for 2014 to 2020 to each county that he and his Department made; and the way it compares to the allocation in the previous Leader round of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12739/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra619. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to explain the rationale of using and allocating funding to a sub-regional area; the extra areas that received funding under this category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12742/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra622. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a cost benefit analysis was carried out on the impact the new allocation of Leader funding will have in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12745/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra630. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to explain the reasons behind the decision to allocate Leader funding on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12887/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra631. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the allocations to each county under the Leader regional development programme 2014 to 2020; how this compares to the allocation under the previous round of Leader funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12888/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra634. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to explain the rationale behind the decision to allocate funding to sub-regional areas; the specific areas that received funding under this category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12891/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra637. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department carried out a cost benefit analysis on the impact the new allocation of Leader funding will have in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12894/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra683. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider the establishment of a national rural development programme and the concerns raised regarding the rural development Leader programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13415/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 614 to 616, inclusive, 619, 622, 630, 631, 634, 637 and 683 together.
The LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020, will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of sustainable rural communities. Ireland is reconfiguring the way in which local and rural development interventions are implemented. This is in line with Government policy to ensure that local government is well positioned to support the effective and efficient delivery of local and rural development. In this context, €220 million of the overall programme complement for the 2014-2020 period has been allocated based on administrative or county boundaries to 28 sub-regional areas.
The EU Regulations which govern the Programme state that it is the responsibility of the Member State to “ define criteria for the selection of community led local development strategies”. In this context, it was decided to determine county allocations in advance of beginning the LEADER selection process. This approach will enable any entity that wishes to make an application to deliver the LEADER element of the Programme to develop a strategy which is consistent with the funds available for their area. I believe that this process will support the design and development of more robust and implementable strategies.
A further €10 million has been allocated to the cooperation element of the Programme. €15 million has been allocated for the delivery of two agri-food schemes which will be managed jointly by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and my Department. In addition, €5 million is being held in reserve for the purposes of supporting the Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) initiative, pending the successful outcome of a Pilot scheme as identified in the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA).
In determining the county allocations, three objective criteria were used, namely, minimum allocation, population density and a Resource Allocation Model (RAM). Each county was given a minimum allocation of €3 million to ensure that each received a viable allocation. However, Cork County was allocated €6 million as a minimum in order to ensure a viable allocation to each of the three administrative districts within the county, as the overall population outside of the city is almost twice that of any other county. While a specific cost benefit analysis was not conducted, the methodology used to calculate the allocations was designed to ensure that the available funding was weighted towards the most rural populations and those experiencing most rural disadvantage.
Using this methodology, which I am satisfied is fair and consistent, each county was allocated a proportionate share of the funding available through the LEADER elements of the RDP. Cork has been allocated almost €14 million under the Programme. This is the highest allocation nationally and is almost €5.5 million or 60% greater than the average county allocation.
While the allocation for the LEADER element of the 2014-2020 Programme is less than the value of the LEADER element of 2007 – 2013 programme, I am confident that within the confines of the fiscal environment we have experienced in the recent past, the Government has allocated the maximum amount possible to support the LEADER elements of the 2014-2020 programme. This funding, coupled with the Government’s drive to increase coordination at a local level and the commitment to the delivery of the recommendations in the CEDRA report, will ensure that the impact of the funding, while decreased, will be maximised to support the sustainable development of our rural communities.
LEADER funding for the 2007-2013 programming period was not allocated based on county boundaries but to individual Local Action Groups on completion of the Local Development Strategy process. In addition to this, the allocations changed in 2012 when the EU co-financing rate changed due to the financial crisis and this resulted in a decrease in the overall programme allocation. Table 1 details the initial allocations for each Local Action Group for the 2007-2013 programme period as well as the 2013 revised allocations. Table 2 details the county allocations for the 2014-2020 programme period as announced on 10 March 2015.
Table 1
|
Local Action Group |
Original Allocation |
Revised Allocation |
|
Avondhu Blackwater Partnership Ltd. |
€9,057,810 |
€7,563,093 |
|
Ballyhoura Development Ltd. |
€11,673,519 |
€18,832,677 |
|
Carlow County Development Partnership Ltd |
€8,878,177 |
€7,619,278 |
|
Cavan-Monaghan LEADER |
€12,035,118 |
€ 10,235,403 |
|
Cill Dara Ar Aghaidh Teo |
€12,282,448 |
€ 10,642,073 |
|
Clare Local Development Company Ltd. |
€14,028,529 |
€ 16,175,841 |
|
Co Kilkenny LEADER Partnership |
€11,523,729 |
€ 13,587,910 |
|
Co Wicklow Community Partnership |
€11,135,560 |
€ 9,128,172 |
|
Co. Sligo LEADER Partnership Company Ltd |
€10,888,673 |
€ 9,791,787 |
|
Comhar na nOileáin Teoranta |
€4,642,415 |
€ 7,218,571 |
|
Donegal Local Development Company |
€12,831901 |
€12,693,035 |
|
Fingal LEADER Partnership Co. |
€7,766,780 |
€ 6,488,129 |
|
FORUM Connemara Ltd. |
€9,668,965 |
€ 7,925,982 |
|
Galway Rural Development Company |
€15,257,985 |
€ 12,512,676 |
|
Inishowen Development Partnership |
€8,286,143 |
€ 7,410,663 |
|
IRD Duhallow Ltd. |
€10,315,943 |
€ 12,852,160 |
|
Laois Community and Enterprise Dev |
€10,993,608 |
€ 9,564,731 |
|
Leitrim Integrated Development Co Ltd |
€10,845,497 |
€ 10,332,659 |
|
Longford Community Resources Ltd |
€8,714,110 |
€ 7,198,679 |
|
Louth LEADER Partnership |
€8,839,815 |
€ 7,265,162 |
|
Mayo North East LEADER Partnership Co. |
€10,751,894 |
€ 9,663,562 |
|
Meath Community Rural and Social Dev. |
€12,748,771 |
€ 15,139,043 |
|
North East Kerry LEADER Partnership Teo |
€10,558,882 |
€ 9,267,641 |
|
North Tipperary LEADER Partnership |
€9,708,008 |
€ 12,917,884 |
|
Offaly Integrated Local Dev Co. Ltd. |
€11,520,489 |
€ 10,856,445 |
|
Roscommon Integrated Development Company |
€12,838,021 |
€ 11,230,957 |
|
South and East Cork Area Dev Ltd. |
€10,641,494 |
€ 10,600,928 |
|
South Kerry Development Ltd. |
€12,370,667 |
€ 10,341,450 |
|
South Tipperary Local Development Co Ltd |
€11,106,187 |
€ 12,515,649 |
|
South West Mayo Development Company Ltd |
€12,150,007 |
€ 10,820,318 |
|
Waterford LEADER Partnership Ltd. |
€10,558,519 |
€ 11,486,013 |
|
West Cork Development Partnership Ltd. |
€14,601,149 |
€ 13,481,280 |
|
West Limerick Resources Ltd |
€9,997,751 |
€ 9,091,221 |
|
Westmeath Community Development Ltd |
€10,987,060 |
€ 9,015,451 |
|
Wexford Local Development |
€12,515,565 |
€ 11,919,814 |
|
Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta* |
€17,278,809 |
€ 3,371,751 |
|
Overall Total |
€399,999,998 |
376,758,090 |
*Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta (MFG) went into liquidation in 2012.
Table 2
LEADER Allocations 2014-2020
|
Sub Regional Area |
Programme Allocation |
|
Rural Dublin |
€6,370,438.43 |
|
Kildare |
€5,261,600.01 |
|
Meath |
€6,903,123.57 |
|
Wicklow |
€6,336,549.00 |
|
Carlow |
€6,416,803.43 |
|
Kilkenny |
€7,791,572.91 |
|
Wexford |
€9,840,140.56 |
|
Tipperary |
€10,103,443.28 |
|
County Waterford |
€7,522,796.18 |
|
County Cork |
€13,938,823.22 |
|
Kerry |
€10,219,868.29 |
|
Clare |
€8,920,224.65 |
|
County Limerick |
€9,276,593.96 |
|
County Galway |
€12,195,883.61 |
|
Mayo |
€11,121,431.88 |
|
Roscommon |
€8,852,659.22 |
|
Louth |
€6,101,862.01 |
|
Leitrim |
€5,998,474.74 |
|
Sligo |
€7,655,647.81 |
|
Cavan |
€8,522,285.84 |
|
Donegal |
€12,913,877.86 |
|
Monaghan |
€7,592,719.51 |
|
Laois |
€7,124,586.86 |
|
Longford |
€7,597,623.07 |
|
Offaly |
€8,036,763.90 |
|
Westmeath |
€7,384,206.22 |
|
Total |
€220,000,000.00 |
617. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the allocation of Leader funding to the County Cork region is 32.4% less than the previous round of funding; his views on the equitability of this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12740/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra618. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the average of the national allocation of Leader programme funding that County Cork received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12741/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra620. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how the criteria of sub-regional areas were applied to the County Cork area given that the population of the Cork county area is twice the population of the Cork city area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12743/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra632. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government how he can defend a cut of over 30% in the Leader funding allocated to County Cork; his views on whether this is fair; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12889/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra633. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out the percentage of the national allocation of Leader funding County Cork received; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12890/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra635. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to explain the way the criteria of sub-regional areas were applied to County Cork in view of the fact that there is double the population of Cork city living in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12892/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 617, 618, 620, 632, 633 and 635 together.
The LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014 - 2020 will provide €250 million in financial resources to rural communities over the next 5 - 6 years. Ireland is reconfiguring the way in which local and rural development interventions are implemented. This is in line with Government policy to ensure that local government is well positioned to support the effective and efficient delivery of local and rural development. In this context, €220 million of the overall programme complement for the 2014-2020 period has been allocated based on administrative or county boundaries to 28 sub-regional areas.
The EU Regulations which govern the Programme state that it is the responsibility of the Member State to “define criteria for the selection of community led local development strategies”. In this context, it was decided to determine county allocations in advance of beginning the LEADER selection process. This approach will enable any entity that wishes to make an application to deliver the LEADER element of the Programme to develop a strategy which is consistent with the funds available for their area. I believe that this process will support the design and development of more robust and implementable strategies.
A further €10 million has been allocated to the cooperation element of the Programme. €15 million has been allocated for the delivery of two agri-food schemes which will be managed jointly by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine and my Department. In addition, €5 million is being held in reserve for the purposes of supporting the Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) initiative, pending the successful outcome of a Pilot scheme as identified in the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA).
In view of the size of the Cork County area, excluding the city, and taking into consideration that there are three administrative areas within the County, it was decided that there should be three sub-regional areas for County Cork for the purposes of LEADER.
In determining the county allocations, three objective criteria were used, namely, minimum allocation, population density and a Resource Allocation Model (RAM). Each county was given a minimum allocation of €3 million to ensure that each received a viable level of funding. However, Cork County was allocated €6 million as a minimum in order to ensure a viable allocation to each of the three administrative districts within the county, as the overall population outside of the city is almost twice that of any other county.
As the value of the LEADER element of 2014-2020 Programme is less than the LEADER element of the 2007-2013 Programme, the allocations made on a county basis under the new Programme, including the allocation for Cork, have inevitably reduced. Nevertheless, using the methodology outlined above in relation to the 2014-2020 Programme, which I am satisfied is fair and consistent, Cork has been allocated almost €14 million. This is the highest allocation nationally and is almost €5.5 million or 60% greater than the average county allocation.
