Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 September 2022
2205. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total funding by county that has gone towards playgrounds and play facilities in the past three years by funding stream including the CLÁR, town and village renewal, outdoor recreation infrastructure and leader schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43951/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department, in keeping with the objectives of Our Rural Future, continues to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. In this regard, funding for playgrounds, public green space and public parks is available under a number of the Department's programmes.
Funding under my Department's Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) provides small grants to community groups to enhance facilities, including playgrounds, in disadvantaged areas. Funding is allocated by my Department to each local authority area, and the local community development committee, with support from their local authority, administers the funding in that area. My Department does not have specific details of the number of playgrounds funded under the CEP.
Over the last number of years, unprecedented investment has been made in our outdoor amenities, under the Outdoor Infrastructure Recreation Scheme. Traditional playgrounds are not generally funded under the Scheme which is more focused on developing amenities including open water amenities, trails, walkways, cycleways, greenways, blueways, and mountain access routes.
Funding under the LEADER programme is not targeted at any particular group or sector in rural communities. It is, rather, focused on a thematic approach to rural development under the headings of Economic Development, Enterprise Development and Job Creation; Social Inclusion; and the Rural Environment. The Department does not, therefore, capture details of the amount of funding approved specifically for playgrounds and similar facilities. The LEADER programme is delivered through local action groups, LAGs, in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country.
The CLÁR Programme funds small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. The programme is investing significant amounts in playgrounds and play facilities. Over the past three years, CLÁR has invested some €4 million to develop 89 playgrounds and play facilities.
The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) supports small to medium capital projects which enhance the environment of town or village centres. Traditional playgrounds are not generally funded specifically under the Scheme, but may be part of a larger overall project. Some 17 playgrounds have been supported under TVRS, in the majority instances the playgrounds constitute an element of an overall project. The aggregate cost of projects concerned amount to over €2.2 million.
I have set out a county by county breakdown of investment by CLÁR and TVRS in the tables below.
|
County |
CLÁR Funded Playgrounds Total Approved 2020-2022 |
No. Projects |
|
Carlow |
€ 134,961 |
3 |
|
Cavan |
€ 509,769 |
11 |
|
Clare |
€ 240,549 |
5 |
|
Cork |
€ 243,200 |
5 |
|
Donegal |
€ 300,000 |
6 |
|
Galway |
€ 213,005 |
5 |
|
Kerry |
€ 233,423 |
5 |
|
Kilkenny |
€ 92,000 |
2 |
|
Laois |
€ 276,225 |
6 |
|
Leitrim |
€ 267,109 |
6 |
|
Limerick |
€ 86,792 |
2 |
|
Longford |
€ 183,039 |
5 |
|
Louth |
€ - |
- |
|
Mayo |
€ 200,000 |
4 |
|
Meath |
€ 50,000 |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
€ 198,454 |
4 |
|
Offaly |
€ - |
- |
|
Roscommon |
€ 186,813 |
4 |
|
Sligo |
€ 144,500 |
3 |
|
Tipperary |
€ 242,141 |
6 |
|
Waterford |
€ 50,000 |
1 |
|
Westmeath |
€ 150,000 |
3 |
|
Wicklow |
€ 72,510 |
2 |
|
€ 4,001,980 |
89 |
|
County |
TVRS Funded Playgrounds Total Approved 2020-2022 * |
No Projects |
|
Carlow |
€671,057 |
4 |
|
Clare |
€61,895 |
2 |
|
Cork City |
€125,000 |
1 |
|
Dublin (Fingal) |
€100,000 |
1 |
|
Galway |
€100,000 |
1 |
|
Longford |
€97,451 |
1 |
|
Louth |
€387,000 |
1 |
|
Meath |
€100,000 |
1 |
|
Monaghan |
€73,594 |
1 |
|
Waterford |
€200,000 |
2 |
|
Wexford |
€100,000 |
1 |
|
Wicklow |
€199,800 |
1 |
|
Total |
€2,215,797 |
17 |
* Playground typically an element of a larger project.
