Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 June 2017
330. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs her plans to review the areas included under the CLÁR programme to include County Kildare which is one of just three counties not designated for CLÁR funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30118/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CLÁR programme (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) was originally launched in October 2001 to provide for targeted investment in disadvantaged rural areas.
The areas originally selected for inclusion in the CLÁR programme were those which suffered the greatest population decline from 1926 to 1996, with the exception of the Cooley Peninsula which was included on the basis of the serious difficulties caused in that area by Foot and Mouth disease. The average population loss in the original CLÁR regions over the period 1926 to 1996 was 50%.
In 2006, an analysis of the 2002 Census data was carried out by the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) at NUI Maynooth and the programme was extended to include areas with an average population loss of 35% per county between 1926 and 2002. Parts of five counties were added (Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow), increasing the total number of counties covered by the programme at that stage from 18 to 23.
It is my intention to review the CLÁR areas later this year, based on detailed 2016 Census small area data which is expected to be available shortly. However, the criterion of significant rural de-population will continue to be a key factor in determining eligible CLÁR areas.
