Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On creative youth, significant progress has been made for this scheme. It was published at the end of 2017 and originally encompassed about 150 schools. We are going to roll it out to 300 schools. Some schools in the Deputy's area are Scoil an Linbh Íosa in Prosperous, Scoil Mhichíl Naofa in Athy and Scoil Mhuire junior school in Ballymany in Newbridge. This is in conjunction with the Department of Education and Skills. It has been a great success. We also have three new pilot local creative youth partnerships, which are being led by Kerry, Laois, Offaly and Limerick. They were announced after a competitive process. These partnerships aim to enhance creative and cultural activities in disadvantaged areas. The creative schools programme has been particularly successful and in the future I would like to see it further rolled out to more than just 300 schools. We try to encompass DEIS schools, primary and secondary schools, so there is a mixture of different schools being able to benefit from it. There are also culture liaisons between the schools trying to assist the children and the schools in coming up with different projects. It is all about having the children participate and enjoy creativity.

On built heritage in Kildare, in 2018 Carbury church received a grant of €5,000, and grants were also received by Donaghcomper church ruins in Celbridge, St. Michael's church in Athy, and Riverstown House in Kildangan. In November 2018 I announced about €4.3 million in funding for the built heritage investment scheme and historic structures fund. Both schemes were open for applications until 31 January 2019. The applications are being assessed at the moment and I expect to announce the successful projects under both schemes before the end of this month. Since 2016, these schemes have funded more that 1,100 projects across every local authority area in the country. I was very pleased to be able to allocate €1 million in additional funding to the schemes for 2019. Kildare County Council has been allocated €79,000 under the built heritage investment scheme for 2019, which is up 58% compared to 2018.

Funding for any projects in County Kildare under the historic structures fund in 2019 will be additional to this and will be announced after the assessments have taken place.

The Deputy asked about the River Barrow blueway. I believe in that project, too, and I am watching the development closely.