Written Answers Nos. 41-60
41. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of playgrounds funded under the CLÁR scheme in each county both through community organisations and through schools. [49905/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different Measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. My Department reviews the type of initiatives to be funded under the Programme each year.
I launched the CLÁR 2021 Programme on 15th March and Measure 2 of the programme provided support for Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities, including playgrounds.
I announced funding on 30th August of over €2.3million for 52 projects under this Measure, including 20 projects involving playgrounds; 6 projects approved for schools and 14 for community projects. Details are provided in the table below. These projects consist of new playgrounds/play areas and/or upgrades to existing playgrounds/play areas.
CLÁR 2021 also provided funding for a host of other outdoor amenities such as multi-use games areas, sensory gardens and community gardens.
The full list of successful CLÁR 2021 projects and the successful projects from previous years are available on the Department's website at www.gov.ie/drcd.
Table: Playgrounds/Play Areas Approved for funding under CLÁR 2021, Measure 2
|
County |
Projects |
School/Community |
|
Carlow |
St. Patricks NS, Ballymurphy |
School |
|
Cavan |
Kingscourt Community Centre Sports Club |
Community |
|
Cavan |
Killeshandra Community Playground |
Community |
|
Cavan |
St Felims NS, Ballinagh |
School |
|
Clare |
Kilbaha Playground |
Community |
|
Clare |
Fanore National School |
School |
|
Donegal |
Fintown Railway – Cumann Traenach na Gaeltachta Láir |
Community |
|
Galway |
Skehana Community Development Committee |
Community |
|
Galway |
Glinsk Community Development Association |
Community |
|
Kerry |
Comharchumann Forbartha an Leith-Triúigh Teo (Brandon Community Playground) |
Community |
|
Laois |
Ballyfin Community Development Association |
Community |
|
Leitrim |
Manorhamilton Public Playground |
Community |
|
Longford |
Dromard Rural Development - Dromard Playground |
Community |
|
Longford |
Sacred Heart Primary School, Granard |
School |
|
Mayo |
Keel Community Playground |
Community |
|
Monaghan |
Mullan Tidy Towns and Community Development |
Community |
|
Roscommon |
Croghan NS |
School |
|
Roscommon |
Camloon NS |
School |
|
Sligo |
Dromore West Community Council CLG |
Community |
|
Westmeath |
Kilbeggan Playground Upgrade & Extension |
Community |
43. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if consideration has been given or will be given to reintroducing the additional 30% grant for Rapid and CLÁR areas under the sports capital grant. [47794/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CLÁR Programme provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period.
I understand that in the past the CLÁR Programme was used to top-up other funding programmes, including the Sports Capital Programme. However, since it was relaunched in 2016, the programme provides funding, in its own right, for small scale projects.
The Measures funded through this year's programme are:
- Measure 1 which supports School and Community Safety projects
- Measure 2 which supports Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities; and,
- Measure 3 which funds Community Wellbeing Supports. This includes funding for Community Gardens and Allotments and funding for Mobility and Cancer Care Transport vehicles.
In addition, this year Minister Humphreys introduced a new CLÁR Innovation Measure. This funding is targeted at piloting new ideas which address specific challenges faced by communities in CLÁR areas, including rural isolation, population change, social disadvantage and marginalisation.
The Measures to be funded next year will be reviewed in advance of the launch of the 2022 Programme. There are currently no plans to reintroduce a top-up grant for other programmes such as the Sports Capital Programme.
The RAPID programme, which was launched in 2001, closed to new applications in 2011. A recast RAPID Programme was rolled out in 2017 using the Local Community Development Committees which are well placed to identify and address local disadvantage. This new approach also took into account the findings of a Value for Money Policy Review of RAPID in 2011 which recommended that any follow-on programmes should not be rolled out in the same way as the original programme.
In 2018, the Department reviewed the recast RAPID and the Communities Facilities Scheme. Following that review it was decided to launch a new Community Enhancement Programme which builds on and replaces the Communities Facilities Scheme and the RAPID programme. The Community Enhancement Programme is available in all areas, not only the areas previously identified as RAPID areas.
44. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the criteria her Department and Pobal have adopted for awarding grants and funding for units of an organisation (details supplied); if she will consider introducing a funding scheme for capital projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49535/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department delivers a range of supports to community groups including Men's Sheds, some of which are administered by Pobal. The eligibility criteria differ depending on the specific programme and work being completed.
For example, the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) provides small capital grants to community groups, including Men's Sheds. In the past, a ring-fenced fund was provided under the CEP specifically for Men's and Women's sheds. While the ring-fenced fund is no longer operating, sheds can still apply to the main CEP, via their Local Community Development Committee, when it is next open.
Separately, depending on the project being completed, funding may be available through the Leader Transitional programme. The programme is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country. Interested applicants should make contact with the relevant LAG to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available.
The CLÁR programme also provides funding for small scale projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. The measures funded are available on my Department’s website and may be relevant to some Sheds.
In the past some funding was provided towards Sheds under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Small Capital Grants Scheme for Social Enterprises .
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) has also provided supports to over 200 Men’s Sheds since 2018 usually in the form of training and capacity building, with small grants totaling over €98,000 awarded to 116 Men’s Sheds.
My Department also funded the national organisation, the Irish Men’s Sheds Association, under the Stability Fund in 2020 and under the Scheme to Support National Organisations.
These funding supports are available to all community groups, including Men’s Sheds.
Details of all these programmes, including eligibility criteria, how to apply, and other information, can be found on www.gov.ie.
45. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of applications received to date for the Awareness Raising Initiative for Social Enterprise, ARISE; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49764/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSocial enterprises are businesses that work primarily to improve the lives of people. Their core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact, and like other businesses, they pursue their objectives by trading in goods and services on an ongoing basis.
Surpluses generated by social enterprises are re-invested into achieving their core social objectives, and they contribute to a fair and inclusive sustainable recovery.
For Social Enterprise to fully realise its potential in Ireland, it is necessary to build more coherence and raise awareness with the public, amongst social enterprises and other businesses, and across the civil and public service. Accordingly, developing and promoting a wide understanding of social enterprise is a key priority of the National Social Enterprise Policy, and the success of the Policy in a large part depends on the success in communicating the message about what Social Enterprises are.
To this end, I recently opened the 2021 Awareness Raising Initiative for Social Enterprise, or ARISE scheme. The scheme has two strands, one for social enterprises and a second for social enterprise support or network organisations, and will provide funding for awareness raising initiatives to increase awareness of social enterprises and their potential.
To date, five applications have been received. It is important to note that the scheme is open for applications until 20th October, and that the ongoing engagement between my officials and relevant stakeholders indicates a good level of interest in the scheme.
46. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the progress made in the 2021 Work Programme for Our Rural Future; the number of measures which have been completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49836/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government’s national rural development policy, Our Rural Future 2021-2025, was published in March 2021 and is the most ambitious and transformational policy for rural development in Ireland for decades.
The policy focuses on long-term sustainability and optimising services and opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses in rural areas over a five-year period.
It commits to the development of annual work programmes, outlining the actions being undertaken across Government each year towards the implementation of the more than 150 policy measures contained in Our Rural Future.
The 2021 Work Programme, published earlier this year, includes actions advancing the delivery of more than 80 per cent of these policy measures.
My Department will be publishing the first Our Rural Future Progress Report at the end of this year which will detail the work done by Government to fulfil the actions in the 2021 Work Programme. Further Progress Reports will follow every six months for the duration of the Policy.
While work on compiling the first Progress Report is ongoing, I am delighted with the level of activity across Departments in recent months to deliver on the Policy’s ambition. This has seen investment provided for rural communities in local transport and active travel, remote working facilities and digital connectivity, and huge levels of support for important projects under the my Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme.
We have also seen, for example, the launch of the agri-food strategy Food Vision 2030 and the Pathways to Work 2021-2025 Strategy, the publication of the Maritime Area Planning Bill and launch of the National Marine Planning Framework, and the formal establishment of Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest at the start of this month. The revised National Development Plan, published last week, also significantly reinforces the objectives of Our Rural Future.
I look forward to providing full detail on progress in relation to the 2021 Work Programme when the first Our Rural Future Progress Report is published later this year.
47. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she plans to increase funding for local improvement schemes in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49402/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra48. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the dates on which LIS funding for 2021 was allocated to local authorities in 2021; the amounts allocated; the amount of expenditure to date by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49843/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra78. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the engagement she has had with the Department of Transport in relation to the funding of the local improvement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49835/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 47, 48 and 78 together.
As part of 'Our Rural Future', the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme is funded into the future. This reflects the important contribution which the scheme makes to connectivity in rural Ireland. The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities and represents a vital piece of infrastructure for rural communities.
The scheme has been funded by my Department since 2017 and is administered by Local Authorities. Prior to 2017, the scheme was not funded for a number of years.
I launched the 2021 Scheme on 14th May with a budget of €10.5 million. I was very pleased to source additional funding for the Scheme during the year and to allocate a further round of funding on 29th July to bring the total level of funding to €21 million this year.
I was pleased to be in a position to again announce an increase in the funding for LIS from €10.5 million to €11 million as part of Budget 2022. In addition, I have continued to actively engage with my colleague, Minister Ryan, to explore the potential for further financial support for LIS from his Department, While I accept that his Department's priority at the moment remains the upkeep and maintenance of national and local public roads, I believe a cross- Government approach might reap dividends in tackling the backlog of applications on hand in local authorities.
I have set out in the table below the allocations to individual authorities under the 2021 Scheme. Payment by my Department under the Scheme normally occurs in Quarter 4 of each year when the works are fully completed by the Local Authorities, and I would expect the 2021 payments by my Department to the Local Authorities to commence in the coming weeks.
|
County LIS 2021 Allocation |
|
|
Carlow |
€463,931 |
|
Cavan |
€1,119,389 |
|
Clare |
€828,528 |
|
Cork |
€1,412,738 |
|
Donegal |
€1,188,403 |
|
Galway |
€1,580,871 |
|
Kerry |
€1,187,099 |
|
Kildare |
€495,586 |
|
Kilkenny |
€778,682 |
|
Laois |
€554,259 |
|
Leitrim |
€503,830 |
|
Limerick |
€1,504,659 |
|
Longford |
€393,041 |
|
Louth |
€417,821 |
|
Mayo |
€1,361,625 |
|
Meath |
€803,937 |
|
Monaghan |
€1,326,223 |
|
Offaly |
€545,240 |
|
Roscommon |
€445,495 |
|
Sligo |
€470,542 |
|
Tipperary |
€721,531 |
|
Waterford |
€872,759 |
|
Westmeath |
€628,389 |
|
Wexford |
€653,786 |
|
Wicklow |
€741,635 |
50. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the next round of town and village funding will issue; if she will provide details of all County Kerry applications in the current round; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50132/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding to support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages. This year's Town and Village Renewal Scheme places particular emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction, supporting remote working, and enhancing town centre living in line with the objectives of “Our Rural Future – Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025".
I can confirm that Kerry County Council has submitted eight applications to my Department under the 2021 Town and Village Renewal Scheme seeking funding of approximately €1.3 million in total.
Applications from all counties, including County Kerry, are currently undergoing a formal assessment process. That assessment process is nearing conclusion and I expect to announce the successful applications before the end of the year.
51. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when additional funding under the transitional programme for the Leader programme will be allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50083/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe LEADER programme is co-financed by the European Commission under Pillar 2 of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), through the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
In line with the the Government’s Rural Development Policy for 2021-2025, 'Our Rural Future’, I announced details of a €70 million Transitional LEADER Programme which came into effect last April and will cover the period 2021-2022. €65 million of this budget has been allocated to the LEADER Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covers both core project expenditure and the administration and animation costs of the LAGs. In addition, in the event that a LAG fully utilises their allocation of administration funding, they can avail of a maximum monthly contribution that will be Exchequer funded and will be available to them to the end of 2022.
A further €3 million of the funding has been allocated to support co-operation projects and innovation between LAGs, while the remaining €2 million has been allocated to provide preparatory support for the next LEADER programme. Further funding opportunities under the LEADER Food Initiative remain in place until the entirety of funds are exhausted.
€20 million of this transitional LEADER Programme is funded by the European Union Recovery Instrument, which will enable local communities and enterprises an opportunity to respond in a community-led local development manner to COVID-19.
I am confident that this level of funding will be sufficient to continue operation of the LEADER Programme through the end of 2022.
52. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the next round of CLÁR funding will allow primary schools to apply for funding to develop playgrounds on their school grounds that can also be used by the wider public; the reason such developments have been excluded from the past two rounds of the programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49904/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different Measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. The Measures to be included in the CLÁR programme are reviewed and revised, as appropriate, each year.
The 2020 CLÁR programme was adapted to help rural communities respond to COVID-19 and did not included specific support for playgrounds.
The programme measures were reviewed in 2021 and included support for Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities, including playgrounds. A number of playgrounds located on primary school grounds were successful in being approved for funding under the programme this year. They were approved on the condition that they must be made available for wider community use outside of school hours.
I will review the Measures to be supported under the 2022 CLÁR programme in advance of the launch of the programme next year.
53. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department plans to share the draft policy strategy for the islands with representatives as requested by an organisation (details supplied) to ensure island communities can engage with the policy development process and provide insights to the strategy focus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49834/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe organisation referred to by the Deputy is the principal body representing communities from all the inhabited islands and my Department recognises that it has an important advisory role in providing input into the drafting of the new policy document.
In view of their important role, representatives of the organisation were invited to attend a meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee in June. During the course of that meeting the representatives provided the Committee with a valuable insight into the issues affecting the islands and stressed the importance of further consultation before the policy is finalised. In this regard the Interdepartmental Committee confirmed that they would continue to engage with them and an invitation to their representatives for further discussions with the Inter-Departmental Committee will be extended in due course.
I understand that the drafting of the policy is in its early stages, but I can confirm that the representative body will have the opportunity for further input into the process.
54. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the supports available from her Department to community groups and organisations that have obtained staff through various social protection schemes but now want to retain these staff permanently given their important role in community development. [50097/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department of Rural and Community Development does not have a specific scheme for the retention of former Department of Social Protection (DSP) scheme participants following the termination of their work placements within local community based organisations and groups.
That said, my Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) supports over 420 community organisations to provide employment opportunities and local services, through a social enterprise model.
Organisations are required to complete a Business Plan defining details on all aspects of their service or facility, governance arrangements, finances, social impact, performance indicators and outlining the specific number of staffing positions required for business needs accompanied with detailed job descriptions for same.
The CSP Programme provides an annual co-funding contribution of €19,033 for each full-time equivalent position being supported and where warranted, provides €32,000 towards the cost of employing a Manager. The CSP contribution does not meet the full employment costs of the supported positions, rather it is a fixed annual contribution that must be co-funded by the organisation concerned from other sources such as from income received from the public for the use of their facilities and services.
In the context of CSP, supported positions are full-time, 39 hours per week, for a minimum of 4 days per week. However, under certain conditions roles may be split into part-time positions to meet business needs, which is agreed during the business planning process.
The programme provides employment for specific disadvantaged individuals and groups including Travellers, people with disabilities, stabilised and recovering drug mis-users, people with convictions who are in contact with the probation service. People employed under DSP Schemes are also deemed an eligible target group as set out in the CSP Operational Manual. However, they cannot simultaneously hold a CSP employment contract and a DSP supported scheme position.
CSP supported organisations are responsible for implementing an open and transparent recruitment process for all CSP supported positions.
55. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the development of the rural proofing model promised in Our Rural Future – Rural Development Policy 2021–2025; the status of the assessment of international best practice in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50139/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra‘Our Rural Future,’ the Government’s national rural development policy, is an ambitious blueprint for rural development in Ireland over the next five years which has the potential to have a transformative effect on rural communities.
Through the Policy, the Government has a vision to breathe new life into rural areas through delivery of more than 150 policy commitments focusing on long-term sustainability, and optimising services and opportunities for individuals, communities and businesses in rural Ireland.
Among these is a commitment to develop an effective rural proofing model to ensure the needs of rural communities are considered in the development of Government policies. The published 2021 Our Rural Future Work Programme commits to initiating a scoping exercise for the development of such a mechanism. My Department has recently issued a tender for work to be undertaken to research possible approaches and best practice in regard to rural proofing models which can then be applied in the Irish context. This important piece of research will serve to underpin my Department's approach to rural proofing.
56. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of a project (details supplied); when the project is likely to proceed to construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50110/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the construction of a new helipad on Inishturk is a project being undertaken by Mayo County Council, with financial assistance from my Department.
My Department provided Mayo County Council with funding for the purchase of land for this project in late 2020. Mayo County Council subsequently submitted an initial design however the Department required amendments and I understand that a revised design has now been agreed.
I also understand that Mayo County Council are currently working with my Department in preparing tender documents for the helipad's construction and it is hoped that the tender process can commence shortly with a view to having the construction completed in 2022.
59. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the value of the dormant accounts fund that is to be available in 2022 to support community development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49405/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2022 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan is currently in preparation. Departments are currently concluding the estimates process and the Action Plan will be finalised following the Budget. It is envisaged that the 2022 Action Plan will be published in November 2021. The 2021 Dormant Account Action Plan approved funding of up to €51 million across 10 departments supporting 46 measures. The value of funding to be approved in the 2022 Action Plan is expected to be similar to this year’s plan.
60. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will employ additional rural recreational officers and ensure they are allocated according to the work plans being operated by the local development companies. [50123/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Walks Scheme, which is funded by my Department, contracts landholders to undertake maintenance work on National Waymarked Ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans.
On 29 September, I announced the 'approval in principle' of 31 new trails to join the Walks Scheme. This fulfils the commitment in the Programme for Government and Our Rural Future to double the number of trails on the Scheme to 80 trails. These trails will be formally brought into the scheme by Local Development Companies who deliver the Walks Scheme locally and who will develop work plans for each of the individual landholders involved.
In order to facilitate this expansion, and in keeping with recommendations from the recently published review of the Walks Scheme, I have committed to funding 8 new Rural Recreation Officer (RROs) posts in Local Development Companies. This is in addition to the 13 posts already in place. I have also committed to providing additional administration funding for the Local Development Companies to support them in delivering the scheme locally.
It is anticipated that there will be new RROs facilitating the delivery of trails in Kerry, Louth, Waterford, Limerick, Cavan and surrounding areas, and the Islands. Funding for an additional RRO post is also being provided to the local Development Company in West Cork given the large number of existing participants on the scheme there and for a new RRO post for the remainder of County Cork.
The above locations have been selected on the basis that they are areas which have, or will have under the recent announcement, walking trails on the Scheme. Depending on the number of trails in a given area, some Local Development Companies will be encouraged to work collaboratively so that one RRO can cover a whole county or a number of counties, depending on the particular situation locally. The funding for these positions will ultimately be determined by the development of an acceptable business case by the companies concerned. My Department has been engaging with the relevant Local Development Companies in this regard.
I am also committed to examining further increases in the number of RROs nationwide based on the outcome of our new National Outdoor Recreation Strategy, which is currently being developed in conjunction with Comhairle na Tuaithe.
