Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

Yes, it is more or less the same. Capital funding is of particular importance for the rural development programme. The funding allocated in 2025 will ensure continued delivery under schemes, including LEADER, the rural regeneration and development fund, town and village renewal, local improvement scheme and CLÁR. These schemes are well established and are contributing to positive impacts for towns, villages and rural areas throughout Ireland. With regard to the allocations for each area, we are maintaining funding for RRDF. Funding of €42 million is being provided for the LEADER programme and an additional €2 million is bring provided for CLÁR. Funding for the LIS will also be increased by €2 million.

Earlier this morning, we also welcomed the transfer of the Gaeltacht function into the Department. Having these three core functions – rural development, community development and the Gaeltacht – makes for a coherent Department, with synergies across the three areas.

Whether we are maximising the impact of capital investment, supporting and empowering communities across the country or driving the development of our Gaeltacht areas, we are focused on ensuring that each area of the Department is working collectively and working across government to deliver for our communities.

Regarding priorities for the coming years, the commitments in the programme for Government, as backed by the finance we approved this morning, are a key focus. The programme for Government is clear on the importance of this Department and the vital role of our schemes in supporting rural development, empowering communities and helping to drive regional balance. We will continue to have a strong focus on ensuring the continued impact of schemes, such as RRDF, LEADER, the town and village renewal scheme and the community centre investment programme.

The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, has line responsibility for community development and charities. This is an area where our schemes, which include the community services programme and the social inclusion and community activation programme, better known as SICAP, play a vital role in both supporting communities and helping disadvantaged individuals. This ensures the positive impact of these schemes. That disadvantaged communities, rurally and urban, are supported will be a key part of the Department's work.

I mentioned the transfer of the Gaeltacht function. While I am conscious that that is dealt with in a separate committee, there are many important priorities that are supported by the programme for Government. These priorities include: continued support for our Gaeltacht support schemes; the development of capital projects in our Gaeltacht areas; and implementation of the national plan for Irish language public services.

On priorities, while schemes and programmes operated by my Department are vital for communities throughout the country, having a strong policy platform is also a key objective for my Department. We are currently working on the next iteration of our rural future policy. Work has also commenced on the next policy for the community and voluntary sector. There is excellent engagement across government with the relevant sectors and with the public on these policies.

The Chair has expressed an interest in having a hearing on Our Rural Future at some stage in the autumn, which we will gladly try to facilitate during that process. We hope to have the new Our Rural Future document ready for publication later this year or early in 2026. It has been the scaffolding document for much of our work over the past number of years.

I thank the officials in the Department. This is a Department that speaks to the best of rural Ireland, with key offices in counties Mayo, Galway and Dublin. We work closely with our colleagues in Údarás na Gaeltachta, na Forbacha. Throughout the country, my Department's officials are working hard with local development companies and local authorities, but most importantly with communities that have ambition for their communities and are driving on that ambition. By working with this Department and with who we working with, we can make for a much better change.