Written Answers Nos. 68-89
79. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of progress in meeting the objective set out in the Action Plan for Rural Development to support improvements to 600 towns and villages by 2019 under the town and village renewal scheme. [38572/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's three-year Action Plan for Rural Development was published in January 2017. The Plan includes a suite of measures to support our rural towns and villages, with a view to revitalising over 600 towns and villages over its lifetime.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key part of the Action Plan for Rural Development. Since the launch of the Action Plan, I have allocated €21.6 million to 281 projects throughout the country under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. This follows on from €10 million which was allocated to 170 projects under the scheme in 2016, prior to the publication of the Action Plan. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme has therefore provided in excess of €31 million to over 450 projects since 2016.
I launched the 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme on 27 April last, which will see up to 200 further towns and villages benefit from an indicative allocation of €15 million over the next 15 to 18 months.
A further call for proposals in 2019 would see the target of supporting the revitalisation of 600 towns and villages over the period 2017 to 2019 being reached, or even exceeded.
In addition, the new €1 billion Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will provide an opportunity to deliver more integrated and ambitious projects which will further support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages in the coming years. The first call for proposals under this Fund is now open and applications will be accepted up to 12 noon on 27th September.
80. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made towards reopening the rural walks scheme; when he plans to reopen the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38624/18]
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 involves landholders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on sections of National Waymarked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. Participant landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken, in line with agreed work plans.
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 both include a commitment to increase the number of trails covered by the Walks Scheme.
My officials are working towards this objective and will review the scheme’s operation over the coming months to determine how best to expand the scheme and to maximise the impact of the resources available to me.
By the end of this year, I hope to be in a position to announce areas where the scheme will initially be expanded.
82. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of top-up required to be funded in 2018 by companies participating in the community services programme per full-time equivalent after receipt of the subvention for wages compared to 2010; the reason the grant or subvention for wages has not kept in line with the increases in the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38603/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Community Services Programme (CSP) supports around 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions. More than €46 million is available to support community organisations under the programme in 2018.
The CSP contribution to the cost of employees is not aligned to the national minimum wage. It is a fixed annual contribution of €19,033 per full-time equivalent and €32,000 per manager and is required to be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources, for example, from income received from the use of their facilities and services. In order to pay staff the current minimum wage, a top up of €2,000 per full-time equivalent is required from organisations. In 2010, as the minimum wage was lower than it is currently, no top-up was required.
My Department will be commencing a review of the CSP shortly. Decisions on the structure of funding supports for CSP funded organisations will be considered in the context of this review.
83. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his views on the commitments to disadvantaged communities under SICAP. [38348/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme, or SICAP, is a key priority for Government and aims to address high and persistent levels of deprivation through targeted and innovative, locally led projects in communities. SICAP supports disadvantaged communities and individuals including unemployed people, people living in deprived areas, people with disabilities, single parent families, people on a low income, members of the Traveller and Roma community and other disadvantaged groups.
I announced the second SICAP programme, covering 2018 to 2022, earlier this year. It has a funding allocation nationally of €38 million in 2018 and will provide some €190 million over the five year period of the Programme to support the most disadvantaged individuals and communities in our society. This amount also includes an allocation under the European Social Fund (ESF).
SICAP's goals relate to supporting both groups and also individuals on a one to one basis. It provides capacity at local level to respond to the particular needs in each area. It is managed locally by 33 Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) with support from Local Authorities and is administered on my Department's behalf by Pobal. In its mid-year review of 2018, Pobal has reported to my Department that the Programme is well on course to meet its targets, with over 27,000 individuals supported by mid year. In addition, there were over 5,000 interventions for Local Community Groups in the same period.
84. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the progress made to date with the roll-out of the Leader programme 2013-2020; the expenditure incurred to date on the programme by administrative costs and projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38602/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a multi-annual programme which has a total budget of €250 million over the period to 2020.
The level of project activity under the LEADER programme has increased significantly this year, and 1,300 projects have now been approved for funding of over €39.8 million. A further 324 project applications, requesting an additional €21.1 million, are at various stages in the approval process.
Project payments have also increased in recent months, as approved works are completed and claims are submitted. Over €6 million of project expenditure has been incurred in 2018, compared to just €600,000 in 2017.
Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced, effectively in 2016, has amounted to €27.79 million. This comprises:
€1.47 million in preparatory costs incurred by the Local Action Groups to develop Local Development Strategies,
€19.6 million in administration costs of the LAGs and the cost of their engagement with communities to generate projects, and
€6.72 million on project expenditure.
The progress now being made by the Local Action Groups in approving projects will result in a continued increase in project approvals and payments under the LEADER programme for the remainder of the year. This progress has been assisted by improvements made by my Department in the last year to the applications and approvals process, in consultation with the LAGs.
85. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the pilot scheme to provide funding for the renovation of rural houses in towns and villages; if there will be adequate funding for same for in budget 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38585/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary objective behind the pilot scheme is to encourage people to return to living in town centres as part of the effort to revitalise rural towns and villages. A Steering Group, chaired by my Department, was established to examine the issue. A lot of consideration has been given by the Steering Group to the best approach to developing a model which will deliver on the stated objective.
As the Deputy will be aware, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to rejuvenating towns and villages in rural Ireland. The factors which attract people to live in particular settlements can be many and varied, including the availability of schools, shops, transport and other services. Apart from the need to identify suitable properties which may be available for residential purposes, it is important that the right infrastructure and services are in place to make the town attractive and safe for people and families to live in. This requires supports that renovation grants alone cannot deliver.
The Steering Group noted that some schemes such as the Home Renovation Incentive Scheme are already available to home owners for refurbishment and improvements, while other schemes which have specifically attempted to focus on the renovation of vacant properties have had a disappointing take-up.
It is clear that if we are to successfully encourage people to return to living in town centres, an integrated solution involving all aspects of town living and supporting infrastructure, needs to be considered.
The Steering Group has agreed that a pilot scheme, which takes a holistic approach to town centre living, be piloted in a small number of towns initially, with a view to a wider roll-out over time if the pilot is successful. This approach, which I have approved, will allow a number of Local Authorities to develop and test different models which they feel are appropriate to a small number of selected towns of different sizes and in different locations. The learnings from this approach will help to provide an indication as to what might work well for similar types of town on a wider scale.
86. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will report on the work of the social innovation fund; if his Department partakes in the selection and awarding of funds to suitable local projects; if priority areas are outlined for the funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38389/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) was established in 2013 following on from the recommendations of a 2012 report of the Forum on Philanthropy and Fundraising. Its mission is to provide growth capital to Ireland’s best social innovations, investing in solutions to social problems and creating jobs. SIFI finds and backs innovative solutions to critical social issues in Ireland and is charged with establishing a philanthropic fund of significant size and impact to aid the development of social innovation.
In partnership with others, SIFI supports innovations that enable healthy, resilient communities, and tackle issues like educational disadvantage and exclusion. SIFI backs social innovators to sustain them, scale them and maximise their impact.
The Department has recently agreed a three-year contract with SIFI which will include a continued commitment to match philanthropic funding raised by SIFI with State funding. This funding model will allow SIFI to continue its work in providing growth capital and support to Ireland’s best social innovations. Every euro raised in philanthropy by SIFI is matched by my Department from funding under the Dormant Accounts Fund.
Since 2016, SIFI has opened 15 public calls for applications, and supported 47 innovations to date which have an impact in every county in Ireland.
The selection process consists of a number of stages which are carried out by SIFI as an independent organization in line with its governance requirements. In the first instance, an internal review is undertaken to ensure all criteria have been met. This is followed by an external screen which usually involves expert reviewers and the donor is also given the option to participate in the external screening.
Further due diligence is performed by SIFI which can include technical checks, reference checks, verification of statements made, and site visits. A recommended short-list is then submitted to the two funding parties, the donor and my Department, who have the opportunity to provide observations, prior to the final decision. Other than reviewing the short-list, my Department does not participate in the selection process.
The Board of SIFI make the final decision regarding successful projects.
No priority areas have been set out for the funds by my Department. However, where possible, SIFI pays close to attention to ensuring a geographical and subject balance in its selection processes.
87. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if additional funds will be released for local improvement schemes for counties which have already met their targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38588/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in predominantly rural areas. The scheme is funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities.
Following on from the successful re-launch of the scheme in 2017, I announced details of the 2018 Local Improvement Scheme on 27th February last. I allocated an initial sum of €10.8 million to Local Authorities across the country this year under the scheme.
The list of projects which each of the Councils has selected for improvement works under the scheme are available on my Department’s website.
As part of the LIS scheme this year, I also requested each County Council to compile a secondary list of suitable LIS road projects which they could complete if additional funding becomes available through my Department later in the year.
I am assessing the level of expenditure on all of my Department's programmes on an on-going basis, and I will make decisions shortly on whether there is scope for any additional funding to be allocated to the Local Improvement Scheme this year.
Over 1,100 roads have benefitted from improvement works since I re-launched the LIS last year. This is having a hugely positive impact for residents and landowners along those roads in terms of access to their premises and properties.
88. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of projects applied for and approved under the Leader programme to date in County Clare; the number of applications being processed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38321/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a multi-annual programme for the period 2014-2020 which has a total budget of €250 million over the programming period. The programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies (LDS) that have been agreed for each LEADER sub-regional area.
To date, 89 projects with a combined grant amount of over €1.7 million have been approved in County Clare, with a further 12 applications seeking funding of over €400,000 currently at various stages in the approvals process.
I am confident that the progress now being made by the LAGs in approving projects, along with the administrative improvements which my Department introduced over the last year, will result in a continued increase in project approvals and payments under the LEADER programme in all LAG areas, including County Clare, over the coming months.
