Written Answers Nos. 1-60
54. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when she expects to approve applications made to her Department in respect of the town and village renewal scheme 2021 and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund 2021. [60155/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Town and Village Renewal Scheme provides funding to support the revitalisation of our rural towns and villages. The 2021 Scheme was launched with an indicative budget of €15 million and places particular emphasis on addressing vacancy and dereliction, projects supporting remote working, and enhancing town centre living.
My Department received 167 applications under this Scheme in 2021. These applications are currently undergoing a formal assessment process and I expect to announce the successful applications shortly.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 164 projects have been approved for funding of €255m for projects costing over €347m.
The third call for Category 2 applications closed on the 30th July 2021. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls under for Category 1 applications.
My Department received 53 applications to this call. Applications are currently being assessed by my Department under the oversight of the Project Advisory Board, which is comprised of representatives from key Government Departments and independent experts. Once that process is complete, my Department will prepare a report setting out recommended projects and my role as Minister will be to consider that report and make final decisions in relation to the allocation of funding. I expect to announce the successful projects in the coming weeks.
I will be announcing the fourth call for Category 1 projects before the end of 2021. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place and which are ready to proceed.
56. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department will consider the Dursey cable car project for funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in view of An Bord Pleanála's decision to grant planning permission for the upgrade of the cable car; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60192/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 164 projects have been approved for funding of €255m for projects costing over €347m.
I will be announcing the fourth call for Category 1 applications in the coming weeks. Category 1 relates to large scale capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place and which are ready to proceed.
The application process under the Fund is competitive and applications can be only be made by State-funded bodies, such as Local Authorities, Local Development Companies etc. Any such body can make an application in relation to a capital project at the required state of readiness if they consider it to be a priority in terms of the objectives of Our Rural Future, the aims of the National Planning Framework and the achievement of the National Strategic Outcomes. However, it is vitally important that prospective applicants also carefully consider the guidance issued as part of the call for applications to ensure that their proposal is in alignment with the stated focus of the call and the objectives of the Fund. In that regard, when the call for applications is announced, an application form and guidance document will be made available on my Department’s website for those seeking further information. My Department will also liaise with prospective applicants to provide further guidance as necessary.
Applications received are assessed by my Department under the oversight of the Project Advisory Board, comprised of representatives from key Government Departments and independent experts. Once the assessment process is complete, my Department prepares a report setting out recommended projects and my role as Minister is to consider that report and make final decisions in relation to the allocation of funding.
57. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of hubs identified by her Department as part of the mapping exercise for the Connected Hubs Programme; and the steps taken to encourage hubs to join the programme. [60016/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra74. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the support provided under the connected hubs facility to encourage hubs and such facilities currently outside the network to join. [60196/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 74 together.
Our Rural Future commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated network of 400 remote working hubs over the lifetime of the policy to 2025. The National Hub Network Working Group led by my Department has so far identified and mapped over 460 remote working hubs across the country, 170 of which are live on the Connected Hubs platform, with this number growing every week. All hubs that have been mapped are invited to join the Network.
The Connected Hubs platform offers a suite of booking and hub management applications to its members. It will also facilitate the sharing of innovation, experience and best practices across the community. These supports will serve to maximise benefit to member hubs, hub clients, employers, local communities and the wider economy.
To date, our focus has been to develop a critical mass of hubs on the connecthubs.ie platform, but this will now shift to raising awareness of the network to relevant stakeholders, including SMEs, business owners and hub users.
My Department continues to work with the Western Development Commission and other key stakeholders to further develop the connectedhubs.ie platform. We are engaging with hub managers across the country on an ongoing basis via one to one engagements and workshops. The outputs of this engagement will contribute to the future strategic direction of the Connected Hubs network.
The development of a national hubs network is a key commitment in Our Rural Future and I am committed to continuing my Department's support for the development of remote working hubs in recognition of the vital role that they can play in our post-Covid recovery.
58. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will report on the efforts to support remote and hybrid working in urban areas such as suburban villages of Dublin given the positive impact for communities and the reduction in commuter traffic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60043/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy 2021-2025, recognises the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages. Notwithstanding the clear benefits to individuals and families in terms of quality of life indicators, remote working from hubs will also support local economies, reduce carbon emissions and may arrest or reverse the depopulation of certain areas.
My Department operates a number of funding schemes that focus on projects supporting remote working through the development of hubs and Broadband Connection Points as long-term, digitally-enabled community assets.
To date, over €83m has been provided by my Department through various funding streams to support the development of digital hubs and remote working facilities across Ireland.
My Department also supports the development of the Connected Hubs Network - www.connectedhubs.ie, that offers a suite of booking and hub management applications to its members. There are currently 170 hubs live on the platform, with this number growing every week. There are currently 27 hubs based in County Dublin that are live on the platform. A further 38 have been mapped and are invited to join the National network.
Earlier this year I awarded almost €9 million in funding through the Connected Hubs funding stream to applicants across all regions. This included funding for a number of initiatives throughout County Dublin to add capacity to their remote working infrastructure, including for hubs in Malahide, Dun Laoghaire, Clondalkin and Terenure.
The development of a national hubs network is a key commitment in Our Rural Future and I am committed to continuing my Department's support for the development of remote working hubs in both rural and urban areas.
60. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the current backlog of local improvement scheme applications that have yet to be processed in each local authority by year in tabular form; if her attention has been drawn to the current number in each county that are waiting on improvement works to be carried out at present; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60243/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Local Improvement Scheme supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. These roads are vital to supporting rural connectivity.
Considerable progress has been made since 2017 in upgrading these laneways and minor roads, with investment of €80 million providing for works on over 3,000 roads and benefitting over 13,300 people. This includes significant funding of €21 million this year.
Notwithstanding the considerable advances made, it is appears that there remains strong demand right across the country.
Local Authorities have provided my Department with an estimate of the number of road applications on hand. However, the data provided requires further analysis by my officials to ensure that it provides a consistent and reliable representation of the overall level of applications on hand across the country.
For example, while the available data shows variations between counties, the analysis undertaken to date would indicate that figures are not directly comparable in all cases.
This can be for a variety of reasons. Some Local Authorities have included in their returns the assessed and eligible applications, while it would appear that others include all applications received. Additionally, some counties may not have opened a call for new applications in recent times while others will have done so.
On this basis, my Department does not have consistent and reliable data in relation to this matter. Each year, my Department reviews the Local Improvement Scheme to ensure its continued efficient and effective operation. As part of that process, my officials will be reviewing the process for requesting and collating the data in question in order to ensure more consistent and rigorous data is available to underpin the Scheme.
