Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 June 2018
519. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline his plans to revitalise small towns and villages being devastated by rural decline in counties Roscommon and Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27471/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra520. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline the funding allocated to rejuvenate rural and regional towns in counties Roscommon and Galway in the action plan for rural development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27472/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 519 and 520 together.
Since the publication of the Action Plan for Rural Development in January 2017, significant progress has been made in implementing and delivering on of the wide range of measures contained in the Plan.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key component in the revitalisation of towns and villages across the country including those in Roscommon and Galway. Over €31.6 million has been approved for over 450 projects across the country since the Town and Village Renewal scheme was introduced in the second half of 2016 including over €2.3 m in respect of 36 projects in Roscommon and Galway. Full details of the projects approved in Roscommon and Galway are available on my Department’s website-www.drcd.gov.ie.
I launched the 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme in April of this year, with an allocation of €15 million. The closing date for the submission of applications to my Department is 30th June and I anticipate that up to a further 200 projects will be approved in this round.
My Department also implements a number of other funding programmes which focus on rural development including the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, the CLÁR programme and the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS), the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) and LEADER.
The LEADER 2014 – 2020 programme, which is administered by my Department, is another key part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and has the capacity to deliver significant outcomes for rural areas. Funding under LEADER is available for a range of defined themes, which include enterprise development and job creation, social inclusion and the environment.
The approved LEADER allocations for the duration of the 2014-2020 LEADER Programme for County Roscommon is €8,852,659 and for County Galway is €12,195,883.
I will continue to support the implementation of the Action Plan for Rural Development and this, together with the additional investment provided for through the recently announced Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, will ensure that Government delivers on its commitment of strengthened rural economies and communities.
