Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2016
526. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to set out the total amount of current and capital expenditure allocated to the town and village renewal scheme over the 2015-21 period; the total budget allocation for this scheme in 2015 and 2016; the amount expended to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26763/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra527. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to set out in tabular form the total amount of current and capital expenditure allocated to the town and village renewal scheme in 2015 and 2016 on a county basis; the amount of this budget that was spent in 2015 and to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26764/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 526 and 527 together.
In September 2015, the then Government announced plans for a fund of €30 million over a six year period for a Town and Village Renewal scheme. While no expenditure was incurred on the scheme in 2015, the current Government has included a commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to support the development of rural towns and villages as one way to support the revitalisation of rural Ireland.
On 9th August this year, I launched the Town and Village Renewal Scheme as part of the Government’s programme to support rural development. I have allocated €10 million in capital funding for the scheme this year. A sum of €380,000 has been made available to each of the 26 counties, as part of this initial phase of this scheme. Local Authorities, in conjunction with local communities and businesses, have been invited to submit proposals to my Department by the end of September for approval.
The Town and Village Renewal scheme is just one of a range of measures in the Programme for a Partnership Government which will support rural development. Some of the other initiatives which have been announced by my Department recently include:
- the new 2014-2020 LEADER programme which has a budgetary allocation of €250 million over the lifetime of the programme,
- a new round of Rural Recreation project funding, with total approvals of €4.5 million to 75 projects across the country,
- the establishment of a National Taskforce to identify practical measures which can be taken in the short-term to improve Broadband and Mobile Phone Coverage in rural areas,
- the establishment of two Regional Broadband Action Groups, involving all of the Local Authorities in the country, to prepare for the roll-out of broadband under the National Broadband Plan once contracts are awarded in 2017,
- the launch of a new round of the REDZ (Rural Economic Development Zone) initiative with €5 million in funding for this year.
While these initiatives will individually make a contribution to rural development, it is their combined impact, along with other initiatives across Government, which will make a real and sustainable difference to rural Ireland. To ensure a more integrated approach to rural development across Government, my Department has commenced work on the development of an Action Plan for Rural Development. The Action Plan will act as an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives across Government to support economic and social progress in rural Ireland. The Action Plan will be published before the end of the year.
