Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Turning to North-South co-operation, more than €38.6 million is made available to support the two North-South implementation bodies, An Foras Teanga, comprising Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency, and Waterways Ireland. These allocations are also subject to the approval of the North-South Ministerial Council. In respect of Waterways Ireland, the overall allocation for 2017 is just under €23 million, which is broadly comparable with 2016. Over 90% of the waterways remained open during the 2016 boating season. Works to repair damaged infrastructure from the winter of 2015-2016 on the Shannon navigation were completed, allowing navigation to Limerick from Parteen Weir to reopen in August 2015. The Shannon-Erne Blueway attracted 100,000 visitors in 2016 and 121 events were offered support under the Waterways Ireland 2016 sponsorship programme, attracting 138,000 visitors to the inland waterways and contributing more than €5.5 million to the local and national economies.

Moving on to regional development and rural affairs, which is the final section with which I will be dealing, responsibility for regional development and rural affairs transferred to my Department in June 2016. It is a priority programme area both for myself and the Government as is reflected in the Programme for a Partnership Government. The Taoiseach and I launched the Action Plan for Rural Development at the beginning of this year. The plan provides an overarching structure for the co-ordination and implementation of initiatives across Government for the benefit of rural Ireland. It aims to unlock the potential of rural Ireland through a framework of national and local supports which will ensure people who live in rural areas have increased opportunities for employment locally and access to public services and social networks that support a high quality of life. More than €79 million is allocated for regional development and rural affairs in my Department's Votes this year, including €40 million allocated for the Leader element of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

There are a number of funding schemes, both well-established and new, which will provide specific supports to rural communities in the coming years. Funding for town and village regeneration has been trebled to €12 million in the 2017 Estimates. Together with the Minister of State, Deputy Ring, I recently announced details of the 2017 town and village renewal scheme, which will see up to 300 towns and villages benefiting from funding. The 2017 scheme will operate over a period of 15 months and provide funding of €20 million in total, including the €12 million available in this year's Estimates to support rural regeneration, with a specific focus on rural towns and villages with populations of less than 10,000. The town and village renewal scheme is part of a package of measures at national and local level to support the rejuvenation of towns and villages across Ireland, which also includes initiatives in areas such as heritage, tourism, arts and culture, the reuse of vacant premises, energy efficiency and business supports.

Other priorities in this programme area include working with local authorities and other stakeholders to eliminate delay factors in advance and to enable effective rural broadband delivery once a contract has been awarded under the national broadband procurement process.