Written Answers Nos. 31-48
31. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the outcome of the public banking investigation; when it will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25721/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, officials from my Department and the Department of Finance have been working closely together since last year to investigate the feasibility of a new model of community banking for Ireland, including the German Sparkassen model for the development of local public banks.
The project team carried out detailed research into the concept, with a particular focus on the Sparkassen model and met with a number of stakeholders. My Department also conducted a public consultation process, to seek views on the concept of a community banking model. The invitation to submit responses was open to all, and was particularly extended to main stakeholders and members of the Oireachtas.
The consultation ran for four weeks and 16 submissions were received. These submissions have been assessed and the views of the respondents have been taken into consideration and will be reflected in the forthcoming report.
The report has now been completed and Minister Donohoe and I submitted it to Government for consideration in the last few weeks. I anticipate that the report will published very shortly.
32. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he is satisfied with the increases in the number of licences issued for dog breeding establishments in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25844/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 9 of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 requires each local authority to establish and maintain a register of dog breeding establishments situated in their respective functional areas. It is a legal requirement that any persons intending to operate such establishments must apply to their local authority for inclusion in the register.
The local authority assesses the application and, if appropriate, confirms their registration. It is important that all dog breeding establishments operating in Ireland are registered as it allows the local authorities to inspect and regulate the premises.
The licensing regime is designed to ensure that dog breeding establishments operating in Ireland are regulated by local authorities to ensure an appropriate standard. Licensing and other operational matters such as monitoring and inspection of dog breeding establishments are statutory functions of local authorities and, accordingly, my Department has no direct function in these activities.
33. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the expenditure under the RAPID programme since its re-inception; the amount of this that was expended in the areas designated RAPID under the previous programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25027/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraExpenditure under the RAPID programme, launched in 2017, was €2m. Of this total, €763,503 was spent in areas that were designated as RAPID areas under the original programme.
Grants were provided to support projects which were tackling social exclusion and helping to improve the quality of life for residents in disadvantaged urban areas and provincial towns. Almost 300 projects were funded under the programme. Of these, 100 were specifically in areas designated as RAPID areas under the original programme.
Many of the designated areas under the original RAPID programme were chosen over 15 years ago. Using the LCDC decision making process to allocate funding to projects under the new programme ensured that up-to-date information and local knowledge were applied to allocate available funding appropriately.
Separately, the €2m Communities Facilities Scheme (CFS) also provided small scale capital funding to almost 3,000 grassroots organisations addressing disadvantage nationwide.
Last month I launched the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) which replaces and builds on RAPID and the CFS. Combining these schemes will make for a more flexible, streamlined and targeted approach to providing funding to those communities most in need, while reducing the level of administration involved.
34. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the impact of the local improvement scheme since its re-introduction in 2017; and the way in which roads were selected at local level under the scheme. [25805/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) provides funding for the repair of private roads which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. I reintroduced dedicated funding for the scheme in September 2017 after a gap of 8 years. The scheme had previously been funded by the former Department of the Environment and Local Government, and subsequently by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
Investing in the repair of these roads is helping to improve the quality of life for many people in rural areas. The scheme improves access to and from many family homes and farms for people who use these roads on a daily basis.
If repair works on these roads are not carried out when they fall into disrepair, there are also implications for the provision of services in rural areas, including emergency and social care services who can struggle to access people and property.
In 2017, I allocated total of €17.4 million to participating County Councils under the LIS scheme. This enabled over 700 roads to be upgraded in some of the most rural parts of the country. In 2018, I have approved funding of €10.8 million for works on over 450 roads selected by relevant County Councils.
It is the responsibility of each relevant County Council to select the road projects that will receive LIS funding in line with the scheme criteria and the Memorandum governing the scheme. Eligible roads are non-public roads, often leading to houses and important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountains, etc., or other non-public roads that provide access to parcels of land, or provide access for harvesting purposes for two or more persons. There must be more than one landholder on an LIS road and the road must be open to the public.
Details regarding the LIS roads selected for funding by County Councils under the scheme for 2018 are available on my Department's website, www.drcd.gov.ie.
35. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which he can address the stigmatisation of rural or urban communities in view of the contention that such communities are in decline and that they do not have a social or economic future in the modern developing economy (details supplied); his plans to address the emerging image of rural communities and some urban communities as places not to invest on the basis of lack of post offices, schools, Garda stations, banks, general practitioners and access to transport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25852/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Departments mission and focus is to help build vibrant, sustainable communities across this country.
The Action Plan for Rural Development and the Framework Policy for Local and Community Development in Ireland, in conjunction with the recently launched Project Ireland 2040, are the key policy initiatives that set out how we can support urban and rural communities and the ways in which the Government aims to change the narrative around rural Ireland and other communities suffering from disadvantage.
The Action Plan emphasises the positive contribution of rural Ireland to the economy and to our identity, focusing on both the economic and social development of rural Ireland and the regions.
The Framework Policy sets out national priorities for rural development and a framework for improving engagement between national and local government and local communities in the planning, delivery and evaluation of policies and interventions that affect them.
The objective of the new €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, launched as part of Project Ireland, will be to drive collaborative, co-ordinated and complementary packages of investment between Departments, agencies, local authorities and other public bodies in pooling their assets and working with local communities, and the private sector where appropriate, to transform our rural towns and villages and outlying rural areas.
All of these policies and initiatives promote a cross-Government approach to delivering strategies that ensure that economic and social development is felt equally across all areas of the country including in rural Ireland.
My own Department already operates a range of schemes and programmes with this objective in mind, including the recently launched new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the new Community Enhancement Programme, the CLAR programme, Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the LEADER programme.
My Department is also working closely with local authorities to support the roll-out of the National Broadband Plan and rural telecommunications infrastructure. We are assisting local authorities to develop local digital strategies, which will be essential if the full economic and social benefits of high-speed broadband connectivity are to be realised over the coming years.
All the initiatives outlined which my Department is delivering will combine to have a significant positive impact on rural Ireland and the narrative which surrounds it.
36. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of jobs created under the Action Plan for Rural Development in north-west County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25896/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Action Plan for Rural Development includes a range of measures which will support enterprise growth and job creation. These measures are delivered across a range of Government Departments and agencies. The Regional Action Plans for Jobs, which are overseen by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, play a particularly important role in supporting job creation in the regions.
While specific figures are not available to the level requested by the Deputy, employment increased in almost every region of the country in 2017. Employment in the South West region overall increased by 8,600 in the year to Quarter 4 2017.
My own Department also contributes to job creation in rural areas through programmes such the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and LEADER. LEADER is a multi-annual programme which has a budget of €250 million over the period to 2020 and has a job creation target of 3,100 over the lifetime of the programme.
37. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of progress of the 2018 dormant accounts action plan and on ensuring the funding can be spent to achieve the objectives of the dormant accounts legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25857/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department commenced the process of preparing the 2018 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan in February this year. In order to initiate the process, I wrote to Ministers in February requesting that their Departments identify potential projects or programmes which might be included in the Action Plan.
Following the receipt of initial proposals from other Departments and agencies, my Department undertook a series of bilateral meetings to discuss the potential measures for inclusion in the Action Plan in greater detail.
The 2018 Dormant Accounts Action Plan is currently being finalised and will be submitted to Government shortly. The Plan will thereafter be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas and published on my Department’s website.
I can also confirm that my Department is currently undertaking a review of the Dormant Accounts Disbursement Scheme 2013-2016 and the findings of the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the Dormant Accounts Fund.
The key focus of my Department’s review is to address the points raised by the Comptroller and Auditor General and to ensure that the significant resources currently available from the fund are used in an efficient and effective manner. The review will also identify and consider wider and longer term issues, including how to best ensure the long term sustainability of the Dormant Accounts Fund.
Much of the work already ongoing in relation to the Fund, including the preparation of the 2018 Dormant Accounts Action Plan, has been informed and guided by the issues raised by the C&AG and the ongoing review being carried out by my Department.
38. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount allocated to the Tidy Towns organisation in 2017; and if he plans to repeat the contribution to it in 2018. [25829/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn November 2017 I announced a once-off grant scheme to mark the 60th anniversary of the TidyTowns competition in 2018. Under the scheme, and based on the TidyTowns categories, TidyTowns Committees in villages were eligible to receive €1,000. Committees in small towns were eligible to receive €2,000; in large towns €3,000; and in large urban centres €4,000.
The purpose of the scheme was to recognise, in a small way, the hard work and dedication of the volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the past 60 years in the TidyTowns movement.
In total €1.4 million was allocated to over 900 TidyTowns Committees across the country under the scheme. I am delighted that so many Committees were able to avail of the grant and I hope that it will help in the work they carry out in 2018.
This was a once-off grant to mark the special circumstances of the 2018 anniversary. I currently have no plans to run a similar grant scheme in 2018.
39. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme will be announced in 2018; the number projects of funded in the 2017 round, both nationally and in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25783/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI launched the 2018 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme on 1st June. The scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreation infrastructure and for the maintenance and promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in rural Ireland. In the last two years, the scheme has funded trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways, and projects that improve access to recreational amenities across the country.
Under the 2018 scheme, applications will be accepted under three measures:
Measure 1 will cater for small projects with a value of up to €20,000.
Measure 2 will support medium sized projects, ranging in value from €20,000 to €200,000.
Measure 3 is aimed at large projects, ranging from €200,000 to €500,000.
I have made an indicative allocation of €12 million to the scheme for 2018, across the three measures. The closing date for receipt of applications is 6 July 2018 for Measure 1, and 27 July 2018 for Measures 2 and 3.
In 2017, funding of €13.6 million was allocated under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme to a total of 251 projects. Under the 2017 scheme, Sligo received total funding of €1,072,675 for 18 projects.
Detailed lists of all projects funded under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, and further details on the 2018 scheme, can be found on my Department's website at the following link: Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme
41. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he is satisfied there is consistent enforcement of all provisions of the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 1992 across all jurisdictions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25843/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Control of Dogs Act 1986, as amended by the Control of Dogs (Amendment) Act 1992, local authorities are responsible for operational matters related to the control of dogs. They have the power to appoint dog wardens, provide dog shelters, seize dogs, impose on-the-spot fines and take court proceedings against owners where appropriate.
Local authorities may enter into agreements with each other to provide dog wardens and dog shelters. I also understand that some local authorities have previously entered into agreements with the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA), or a person or organisation connected with animal welfare to provide these services.
Accordingly, as operational matters relating to the Control of Dogs Acts are matters solely for each local authority, it is a matter for each local authority to ensure the enforcement of all relevant legislation in a fair and consistent manner.
42. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the details of the rural development fund will be announced; when schemes will open for applications under the programme; the financial provision in the three-year expenditure envelopes for the programme for 2018, 2019 and 2020, respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25023/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Project Ireland 2040, the Government has committed to providing €1 billion for a new Rural Regeneration and Development Fund over the period 2019-2027.
The Fund will be key to achieving strengthened rural economies and communities; one of the national strategic outcomes under the National Planning Framework.
This fund which will be overseen by my Department will have a significant positive impact on rural communities and their sustainability.
The fund will enable collaboration between Departments, agencies, Local Authorities and public bodies to transform rural towns and villages and their outlying areas.
Funding of €315 million has been provided for the period 2019 to 2022, which will allow both further activity under existing initiatives as well as the introduction of new investment initiatives under the Fund to be supported during this period. The allocation is as follows: €55m (2019), €80m (2020), €80m (2021) and €100m (2022).
Allocations from the Fund will be made on a competitive bid based approach and the details of the process are presently being finalised by my Department.
I am currently consulting with my colleagues in Government on the development of this Fund and I will make further announcements shortly.
43. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the local improvement scheme in local authorities throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24823/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a scheme for improvement works on small private/non-public roads. The types of roads covered under the scheme are not under the normal maintenance of the County Councils. However, they provide vital links for people living in rural areas and need to be maintained to enable people living in rural Ireland to access their homes, farming land, or amenities.
For many years, there was no dedicated funding for LIS, due to the constraints on the public finances. However, in September 2017 I announced the provision of €10 million to Local Authorities for a Local Improvement Scheme. Based on demand and the capacity of Local Authorities to complete works before the end of 2017, I allocated an additional €7.4 million to Local Authorities for LIS roads at the end of November.
I launched the 2018 LIS scheme last February last with an indicative allocation of €10.8 million to the relevant Local Authorities. This funding will support repairs to more than 400 additional roads, bringing the total number of LIS roads which will have benefitted from the scheme since last September to over 1,100.
The table below outlines, on a county by county basis, the number of roads selected by Local Authorities for improvement works under the scheme in 2018, and the total grant by my Department towards the cost of these works. Detailed information regarding the roads to be completed in each Council area can be found on my Department's website at www.drcd.gov.ie.
LIS 2018: County Allocations:
|
County |
Total Funding Request |
Number of Roads |
|
Carlow |
€243,630.00 |
15 |
|
Cavan |
€295,000.06 |
5 |
|
Clare |
€482,000 |
13 |
|
Cork |
€1,000,000.00 |
41 |
|
Donegal |
€881,458.55 |
55 |
|
Galway |
€942,001.00 |
27 |
|
Kerry |
€726,976.00 |
33 |
|
Kildare |
€249,999.00 |
8 |
|
Kilkenny |
€315,000.00 |
8 |
|
Laois |
€264,146.43 |
9 |
|
Leitrim |
€250,001.00 |
11 |
|
Limerick |
€411,388.20 |
9 |
|
Longford |
€249,019.97 |
13 |
|
Louth |
€249,983.73 |
5 |
|
Mayo |
€855,000.00 |
77 |
|
Meath |
€359,000.00 |
8 |
|
Monaghan |
€250,000.00 |
16 |
|
Offaly |
€290,765.00 |
13 |
|
Roscommon |
€370,290.00 |
56 |
|
Sligo |
€282,000.40 |
10 |
|
Tipperary |
€624,865.50 |
17 |
|
Waterford |
€282,000.00 |
12 |
|
Westmeath |
€282,000.00 |
9 |
|
Wexford |
€354,519.00 |
14 |
|
Wicklow |
€310,000.00 |
6 |
|
TOTAL |
€10,821,043.84 |
490 |
46. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding available to CLÁR projects in counties Longford and Westmeath in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25858/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCLÁR provides funding for small scale capital projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation. The programme, which has a budget of €5 million this year, forms part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development.
I announced the 2018 CLÁR scheme on 15th March 2018, with applications invited under the following measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Play Areas/MUGAs
Measure 3: First Response Support Measure
The closing date for receipt of applications under CLÁR 2018 was 30 April 2018.
In total, my Department received in excess of 400 applications across all three CLÁR measures. These include a number of applications under each measure from both Co. Longford and Co. Westmeath. All applications are currently being assessed by my officials and I hope to be in a position to announce details of the successful applicants shortly.
47. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the rural walks scheme will be re-opened; the progress that has been made towards reopening the scheme; the status of the review of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25895/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, my Department administers the Walks Scheme which facilitates the development and maintenance of many of Ireland’s walking trails. The scheme currently covers 39 trails, with payments made to approximately 1,900 landholders to maintain those trails.
The Programme for a Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development include a commitment to increase the number of trails covered by the Walks Scheme and my officials are working towards this objective.
I intend to initiate a comprehensive review of the scheme’s operation this year in order to determine how best to expand the scheme and maximise the impact of the resources available to me. I hope to be in a position by the end of the year to identify areas where the scheme will initially be expanded.
48. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the new schemes he plans to roll out under the CLÁR programme in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25024/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI announced the 2018 CLÁR scheme on 15th March 2018 with an allocation of €5 million. My Department received over 400 applications, which are currently in the processes of being assessed, from communities and groups applying for funding for projects under the following measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Play Areas/ MUGAs
Measure 3: First Response Support Measure
I hope to announce details of the successful projects shortly, following the completion of the assessment process.
I am very much aware of the impact that a modest investment under the CLÁR programme can have on a rural community, and I am satisfied that the measures approved for 2018 will make a difference for parents and children, in particular, in many rural areas.
I have no plans to roll out any further measures under the 2018 CLÁR programme at this time. However, if further funding becomes available for the programme later in the year, I will review the situation.
