Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and thank her for her ongoing and constructive engagement with the committee.

The RRDF is a positive scheme and we in Clare have benefited greatly from it since its introduction. Recently, a project in Scarriff received more than €500,000 under category 2. It is an exciting project transforming a derelict building in the centre of the town into an innovation and engagement hub. Dramatic improvements in the public realm will also happen and it will provide a tourism offering. I congratulate and thank Mr. Urban McMahon, an official in Clare County Council, for his work on this. The Minister would know him well, having visited the county a number of times.

Two category 2 applications were not successful, though. They were in respect of Loop Head lighthouse in west Clare and the maritime training centre in Kilrush. It is disappointing that they were not funded. Having engaged with junior officials, I understand why. I am following up on the projects with the Minister and hope to have some engagement on them. Where projects fall down, could the Minister explain something about the feedback from officials? It is important that community groups, local authorities and LEADER groups understand where an application fell short and whether it is possible to improve the application so that it can be submitted for another call, be it category 1 or category 2. Is there a formal feedback process?

I have raised a matter regarding the LIS a number of times. Clearing the lists is key. They are significant in counties Clare, Cavan and Monaghan and all across the country. The Minister and her predecessor, Deputy Ring, funded this scheme, but that is actually unfair because the Department of Transport should have a role. The Minister has engagements with the Minister for Transport, Deputy Eamon Ryan. I ask her to re-engage with him on this. She could have a substantial scheme if the Departments of Rural and Community Development and Transport and local authorities each provided one third of its funding. Without proper financing for this essential scheme for rural Ireland, the lists will not be cleared. Although work has been ongoing in Clare for the past number of years, we are clearing only a handful of roads. Will the Minister re-engage with her ministerial colleague? I also ask that this committee write to him and recommend that he put his hand in his pocket and provide some funding from the Department of Transport to finance this vital scheme.

A number of schemes in County Clare are reaching a conclusion. I am thinking of Lahinch Seaworld and Leisure Centre, where wonderful work was done there under the RRDF, and the river walk in Ennistymon, where work has been completed under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, providing a wonderful amenity for the people of Ennistymon and further afield, particularly during Covid.

I invite the Minister to County Clare to perform an official opening of these two wonderful facilities.