Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 June 2018
19. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the programmes and schemes planned to develop rural areas outside towns and villages; the amount of expenditure he expects in these rural areas in 2018 in view of the fact that a large part of the rural population live in the rural countryside; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25026/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rural development schemes currently operated by my Department are not confined to towns and villages.
For example, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development and maintenance of walking trails, cycleways and blueways which bring visitors to rural areas and support local job creation through the provision of services and accommodation. I recently launched the 2018 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme with an indicative allocation of €12 million for projects that will be implemented up to the end of 2019.
Separately, the Walks Scheme is currently operating on 39 trails which traverse lands in the open countryside. Payments to participating landholders to maintain the trails will amount to approximately €1.8 million in 2018.
CLÁR is targeted at areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation and supports many settlements outside of rural towns. The 2018 CLÁR programme has a funding allocation of €5 million. Similarly, the Local Improvement Scheme, by its nature, is focused on the roads in areas outside of towns and villages. I have allocated €10.8 million under the LIS for this year.
The LEADER programme has the capacity to deliver significant outcomes for all rural areas. Project proposals are developed at local level and submitted to Local Action Groups for approval. LEADER has a Vote provision of €35 million this year, supplemented by €5 million in capital funding carried over from 2017.
While the Town and Village Renewal Scheme primarily focuses on towns and villages, the scheme strongly encourages projects which reach out to the areas outside of those towns and villages. Funding of €15 million is available for the scheme this year.
I believe it is important to ensure that all areas of rural Ireland have an opportunity to avail of funding support. That is why the current programmes operated by my Department are available for local communities to come up with suitable proposals for funding. The new €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will also be available for rural areas outside of towns and villages.
