Written Answers Nos. 730-736
730. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total funding allocated to the LEADER programme over the 2021-2027 period inclusive of transitional funding in 2021-2022; and the percentage change in funding overall between the 2021-2027 period and the previous programme period 2014-2020 since the formation of this Government by county in tabular form. [60261/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraLEADER is a key programme within Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development launched last year, which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy.
The Expression of Interest stage to select the Groups to deliver the next LEADER programme is now open with a closing date for receipt of applications of 16th December 2022.
€250m has been made available for LEADER for the period 2021 to 2027. This is comprised of €70 million for the transitional period 2021 to 2022 and an additional €180 million from 2023 to 2027. The allocation of the funding for each LEADER area for the 2023 to 2027 period was also recently announced.
The 2014-2020 LEADER programme had a total allocation of €250 million. €220 million of this budget was allocated directly to the LAGs who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level.
The balance of €30 million was provided for thematic projects, such as the LEADER Food Initiative, which were approved at national level.
Table 1 below shows the distribution of funding by county for both the 2014-2020 Programme and the 2021-2027 programme and the percentage variation. Allocations are made for the programming period as a whole, rather than on a year by year basis.
Table 1 – LEADER funding by county 2014-2020 and 2021-2027 Programming periods
|
County |
LEADER 2014-2020 funding |
LEADER 2021-2027 funding* |
Gain € on previous programme |
% Gain |
|
Carlow |
€6,416,803 |
€6,864,589 |
€447,786 |
6.98% |
|
Cavan |
€8,522,286 |
€8,888,387 |
€366,101 |
4.30% |
|
Clare |
€8,920,225 |
€9,480,333 |
€560,108 |
6.28% |
|
Cork** |
€13,938,823 |
€20,908,235 |
€6,969,412 |
50.00% |
|
Donegal |
€12,913,878 |
€14,210,724 |
€1,296,846 |
10.04% |
|
Dublin |
€6,370,438 |
€6,598,917 |
€228,479 |
3.59% |
|
Galway |
€12,195,884 |
€12,628,253 |
€432,369 |
3.55% |
|
Kerry |
€10,219,868 |
€11,205,430 |
€985,562 |
9.64% |
|
Kildare |
€5,261,600 |
€6,995,034 |
€1,733,434 |
32.94% |
|
Kilkenny |
€7,791,573 |
€8,382,926 |
€591,353 |
7.59% |
|
Laois |
€7,124,587 |
€7,765,897 |
€641,310 |
9.00% |
|
Leitrim |
€5,998,475 |
€8,063,960 |
€2,065,485 |
34.43% |
|
Limerick |
€9,276,594 |
€9,678,646 |
€402,052 |
4.33% |
|
Longford |
€7,597,623 |
€8,068,240 |
€470,617 |
6.19% |
|
Louth |
€6,101,862 |
€6,715,859 |
€613,997 |
10.06% |
|
Mayo |
€11,121,432 |
€12,074,044 |
€952,612 |
8.57% |
|
Meath |
€6,903,124 |
€7,499,555 |
€596,431 |
8.64% |
|
Monaghan |
€7,592,720 |
€8,229,081 |
€636,361 |
8.38% |
|
Offaly |
€8,036,764 |
€8,627,171 |
€590,407 |
7.35% |
|
Roscommon |
€8,852,659 |
€9,398,383 |
€545,724 |
6.16% |
|
Sligo |
€7,655,648 |
€8,316,205 |
€660,557 |
8.63% |
|
Tipperary |
€10,103,443 |
€10,811,323 |
€707,880 |
7.01% |
|
Waterford |
€7,522,796 |
€8,315,055 |
€792,259 |
10.53% |
|
Westmeath |
€7,384,206 |
€7,917,745 |
€533,539 |
7.23% |
|
Wexford |
€9,840,141 |
€10,190,058 |
€349,917 |
3.56% |
|
Wicklow |
€6,336,549 |
€7,165,951 |
€829,402 |
13.09% |
|
Totals |
€220,000,000 |
€245,000,000 |
|
|
*Total available for 2021-2027 is €250m, €5m retained under the Transitional Programme for Cooperation Measure(€3m) and 2023-2027 Strategy Development(€2m)
** County Cork includes three sub-regional areas of North Cork, South Cork and West Cork, the allocation indicated will be distributed across the three sub-regional areas.
731. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total number of hubs onboard in each county since the National Hub Network connectedhubs.ie was launched; the total amount of funding allocated in each county for same in tabular form. [60262/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraOur Rural Future, Ireland’s Rural Development Policy was launched in early 2021. The policy recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and the potential of remote working hubs as key economic assets for our rural towns and villages.
In May 2021 I launched the National Hub Network and its online platform, connectedhubs.ie. The connectedhubs.ie platform offers a suite of booking, hub management and e-commerce applications to members of the Network. The platform also facilitates the sharing of innovation, experience and best practices across the community. These supports serve to maximise benefit to member hubs, hub clients, employers, local communities and the wider economy.
To date, 295 hubs have joined the National Hub Network and been on-boarded to the connectedhubs.ie platform. This number is growing all the time meaning we are well on track to meet our target of 400 remote working hubs nationwide by 2025. A breakdown by county of on-boarded hubs has been provided in Appendix 1.
In recent years, my department has supported the establishment and development of remote working and enterprise facilities through programmes such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. In terms of direct funding supports for hubs on the connected hubs network, in 2021 and 2022 my Department provided €14 million in funding to almost 200 projects via the Connected Hubs fund. This funding enabled successful applicants to add additional capacity to existing remote working infrastructure in digital hubs and Broadband Connection Points across the network.
732. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total amount of funding allocated to local authorities for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund; the towns in each county that have been allocated funding; the project title of each since the formation of this Government by county in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60263/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, established in 2018, provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 and rural areas across Ireland.
To date, the Fund has allocated funding of €395 million for 215 projects nationwide costing €542 million.
Since the formation of the Government in 2020, the Fund has allocated funding of €225 million to local authorities for 99 projects costing €293 million to projects.
The local authority led projects allocated funding, including the project title and location, are set out in the table below.
733. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason (details supplied) do not appear to qualify for support pursuant to the CVESS scheme; if their application can be reviewed with a view to providing support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60291/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraNot-for-profit and voluntary organisations in the Community and Voluntary sector are woven into the fabric of community life across Ireland, but they are vulnerable to the impact of increased energy costs.
The recent budget allocated €10m to my department to put in place a support scheme for community and voluntary organisations and charities in 2022. The Community and Voluntary Energy Support Scheme (CVESS), administered by Pobal on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development, will provide once-off support to organisations within the community and voluntary sector which fall outside the parameters of other energy support schemes being delivered by Government. The CVESS opened on 21st November and closed to applications on Friday 2nd December.
Whilst the scheme is currently closed to applications, I am aware that a large amount of queries have been received in respect of organisations that have multiple facilities under the same beneficial ownership, as well as organisations who receive a small amount of funding under s.38 or s.39 of the Health Act, 2004. I can confirm that my department is now looking at how we can accommodate such organisations in a further round of the CVESS, to open as soon as possible. Further details will be published shortly.
While churches themselves are not eligible, parish halls and other community facilities that are open to the wider community may be eligible to apply.
My Department will continue to work with relevant stakeholders, including the community and voluntary sector, charities, local authorities and local development companies, to support community organisations across the country as they deal with the ongoing and emerging challenges. I would encourage all groups to engage with Gov.ie, their Local Authority and Local Development Company so that they are aware of funding opportunities as they become available.
This Scheme is one of a range of supports introduced through Budget ’23 and everyone is encouraged to visit gov.ie/reduceyouruse to find out how they can make energy savings, where safe and possible to do so.
734. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when permission to proceed to tender will issue for a project (details supplied). [60440/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project referred to by the Deputy was approved for funding under the second call for Category 1 funding under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund in November 2019.
This project is currently under review due to an issue arising with regard to the matched funding available to undertake the project. A proposal from the project partners to attempt to address this issue has been submitted to my Department. I am currently reviewing that proposal and will make a decision shortly.
735. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 804 of 25 October 2022, if applicants in categories 2 and 3 to the community centre investment fund 2022 will be notified before the end of Q4 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60681/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll applications to the Community Centres Investment Fund are subject to a competitive assessment process based on the assessment criteria as set out in the fund guidelines.
Category 1 applicants were notified of the outcome of this process in October. Details of successful applicants are available on my department’s website at www.gov.ie/drcd.
Due to the high level of applications to the fund, the appraisal process is currently ongoing for Category 2 and 3. It is expected that applicants for these categories will be notified of the outcome of the application and appraisal process shortly.
736. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide a list of the categories of public sector workers and civil servants under her Department whose contracts fall under the Croke Park Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60773/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Croke Park Agreement encompassed all civil and public servants under my Department. No distinction was made between categories of civil servants under the Agreement.
