Mairéad Farrell
Ceist:414. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the funding that is available for community groups for electric buses for rural communities. [62838/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 15 December 2022
Ceisteanna (414)
Freagraí scríofa
The CLÁR Programme provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. Since the programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures. CLÁR has made significant investments at community level the length and breadth of the country. Funding of over €57 million has been approved for almost 2,100 projects since its re-launch in 2016.
This year's CLÁR programme was launched in February with a total budget of €7 million. This represents an increase of €1.5 million on the budget for the 2021 CLÁR programme. The measures funded under CLÁR 2022 were:
- Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities and Amenities
- Measure 2: Mobility, Cancer Care and Community First Responders Transport
- Measure 3: ‘Our Islands’
The 2022 CLÁR programme is now closed for all measures. Announcements on successful applications under all three measures have been made and these details can be found on my Department’s website.
Electric buses were eligible for funding under Measures 2 and 3 of the CLÁR 2022 programme.
Measure 2 was open to established organisations and groups that operate on a voluntary basis and provide transport to and from day care, and other medical, therapy or respite services for those with significant mobility issues including requiring specialised wheelchair accessible vehicles or transport to and from designated cancer treatment hospitals or centres under the National Cancer Care Programme, Community First Response Support or Search and Rescue organisations.
Measure 3 was open to established organisations/groups that operate on a voluntary basis on our inhabited off shore Islands.
The Measures to be included in the next CLÁR programme will be reviewed again in advance of the next iteration of the programme.