Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 February 2018
36. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the requests for submissions that have been sought from bodies in 2018 under the local improvement, village and town renewal, national rural development and CLÁR schemes; the projects approved to date under these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8715/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe question is very straightforward and I hope I get a straightforward answer from the Minister. It concerns the requests for submissions sought from bodies in 2018 under the local improvement, village and town renewal, national rural development and CLÁR schemes. I also seek the number of projects approved under these schemes. Two months are gone in the year, ten months are left, the clock is ticking and nothing is happening.
The clock is ticking here as well.
The Department implements a suite of measures aimed at providing direct financial support for the sustainable development of rural areas. These programmes were highlighted in the Action Plan for Rural Development, which focused on supporting sustainable communities, enterprises, employment and creativity while maximising our rural tourism and recreation potential and improving rural infrastructure in communities.
The national rural development programme measures include the town and village renewal scheme, the CLÁR programme, the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme and the local improvement scheme. The objective of the town and village renewal scheme is to encourage projects that have a sustainable and visible impact on the town or village and its environs and which can demonstrate significant job creation potential. The 2017 CLÁR programme provides support across four measures, including support for schools and commercial safety measures, play areas, targeted community infrastructure and the first responder scheme. The outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreation infrastructure or the necessary maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in Ireland. The scheme was implemented in 2016 and 2017.
It has facilitated the development of numerous greenways, blueways, walks and other trails throughout the country. The LIS has provided supports for improvement works on private and non-public roads. There is underlying demand for further LIS funding. No dedicated funding stream has been available for such works for several years.
To date, submissions in respect of the schemes outlined have not been sought for 2018 because the criteria for this year are being reviewed. The Deputy should note that I recently wrote to all local authorities advising them of an initial schedule of scheme launch dates for the LIS, the CLÁR programme, the town and village renewal scheme and the rural recreation scheme. Submissions will be sought from the relevant bodies as the schemes are launched. It is intended that these schemes will continue to support important local, regional and national projects in 2018 and beyond.
I wish to ask the Minister a question. Is he listening? Why are we getting this big word "review" again? Why did the Minister not simply say that nothing has been sorted yet and that no projects have been approved? Is that the situation after the long rigmarole of an answer he just gave? Is this exactly what the Minister told me at the end: nothing has been sorted or approved? Can the Minister confirm that?
First, I will be announcing the LIS shortly. Not alone will I be announcing the scheme, I will announce the funding as well. The CLÁR programme will open shortly. The rural and recreation scheme and the town and village scheme will open at the end of May. I intend to have projects in for July, probably, and I will make the allocation later in the year.
Deputy Ó Cuív knows and I know that since I came into the job, I have opened the CLÁR programme. I have not yet been in office for a year. I have all the other existing schemes, including the LIS. I can tell the Deputy one thing, namely, that I want to have these schemes open. I want to have the applications in and assessed by the Department. I want the schemes to be announced and I want local authorities, or other agencies that I am now considering, to deal with some of these schemes – I wish to put that on the record of the Dáil. I have some things in mind such that I do not have to give all the work to the local authorities. It is fine if they believe they can do the work. However, if they cannot, then I have to start looking at other ways and means. Deputy Ó Cuív can take it that these schemes will be open and announcements will be made. The funding is in place. I have opened the schemes and I am very pleased with them.
Time is running out so I will ask a short question this time. There are two parts to it. Will the Minister explain to me what the term "shortly" means in this instance? Is it weeks or months? Who was the Minister of State with responsibility for rural development before the Minister became Minister for Rural and Community Development?
I want to tell the Deputy something. He knows who was Minister of State. I have reopened all the schemes he closed down when he was Minister.
Hear, hear.
I know Deputy Ó Cuív was happy with that. I reintroduced all the schemes that Deputy Ó Cuív and the Government of which he was a member closed down.
I used the term "shortly" in my reply. I have set out a deadline for the local authorities. I have written to them. I have set out a schedule for when the applications will come in, when they will be dealt with and when grant aid will be approved. I will do that. I cannot deliver the schemes but my Department will play its part. I assure Deputy Ó Cuív that I will have all these schemes open. The CLÁR programme will reopen in the next couple of weeks. I have written to the local authorities and they are getting the projects ready. I will have the schemes opened and I will implement them. What happened last year will not happen this time.
The next question is in the name of Deputy Eamon Ó Cuív.
I take it that the name of the Minister of State with responsibility for rural development before the office of Minister for Rural and Community Development was created was one Deputy Michael Ring.
That is correct - and a good one he was.
The suggestion to the effect that "I was not there" does not stand up. The Minister was there. I thank the Minister for clarifying the position.
