Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Of course. There is no difficulty in that regard. I asked my officials to send it to all members of the committee and anyone who wanted it. I wrote to the CEOs outlining my Department's programmes and when I was opening them. They now know that there is scheme continuity. This is the third year. My Department has been in place for almost two years. Before that, in the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs we started to open up some of the schemes again. As I said, the local authorities now know that there is programme continuity. They also know that they may not have had the capacity in the past but that they will now need to have it. Many local authorities, including mine and that of Deputy Carey, have a director of services dedicated to dealing with rural issues and rural schemes. All local authorities will need to do this.

The REDZ scheme was included in the town and village category. An instruction I gave the local authorities this year in respect of towns and villages was related to the exact point raised by the Deputy. I want towns and villages that have not received funding before to be included this time. I do not want the same towns and villages to receive all of the funding again. I want to see new villages and towns included. The title of the scheme refers to towns and villages. The village is as important as the town. The county councils have received that instruction from me this year.

Deputy Fitzmaurice asked about the CLÁR programme review. I hope to have it towards the end of the year. Even in my region there are areas that are included in the programme but which have moved on and there are areas that are not included in it that should be. We need to carry out the review.