Dáil debates

Wednesday, 10 April 2019

Rural and Community Development: Statements

 

7:00 pm

Photo of Michael RingMichael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The CLÁR programme has provided funding of more than €25 million to more than 1,200 small-scale infrastructure projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation since I reintroduced the scheme in 2016. Under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, a total of €41 million has been approved for almost 600 blueways, greenways, trails and other projects that will benefit visitors and locals alike in rural areas. The LEADER programme has approved almost 1,800 local development projects for funding in excess of €61 million towards economic development and job creation, social inclusion and the protection of the rural environment. A further 355 projects are at various stages of the approval process, seeking funding of approximately €22 million. This marks a substantial increase in activity under the programme. I am also delighted that the Department has been able to provide supports to Tidy Towns committees and agricultural shows around the country. These organisations and events make a significant contribution to their communities.

The Department also provides a range of community development programmes which support individuals and the community and voluntary sector. The community services programme, CSP, provides financial support to community organisations to deliver local services through a social enterprise model. The €46 million allocation will ensure that the CSP will continue to benefit more than 400 organisations and 1,900 positions nationwide in 2019. The social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, provides funding to help individuals and communities who are experiencing disadvantage. The programme works with people from groups such as disadvantaged women, disadvantaged children and families, lone parents, people with disabilities, those who have difficulties finding employment, Roma and Travellers.

A new five-year SICAP was launched in 2018 and ensures a greater focus on more intensive individual support and flexibility to respond to the needs of targeted groups at local level. In year one, the programme supported 31,967 disadvantaged individuals on a one-to-one basis and 2,558 community groups. A total of €43 million was allocated in 2019 to assist more than 2,200 organisations and 27,000 individuals. In addition, more than €12 million in funding will be provided in 2019 for national organisations in the community and voluntary sector and in supports for volunteering to support these organisations in the vital work they do in our communities. A sum of €4.5 million will be provided for the community enhancement programme and €7.2 million for library development. Libraries are fantastic resources in communities and the strategy document, Our Public Libraries 2022, which was published by the Department last year, outlines the increased role that I hope libraries can play as civic spaces and places where everybody can access technology and other services.

In 2019, the Department is providing €6.5 million towards the regeneration of the Dublin north-east inner city. The investment will benefit not only the local community but the city as a whole. Isolation in our communities is of increasing concern and through these and other measures the Department aims to aid social inclusion in our communities. Funding supported more than 300 men's sheds around the country in 2018. The very successful seniors alert scheme has sustained a large increase in demand to improve the inclusion of more than 20,000 vulnerable older people for personal monitored alarms. This enables them to continue to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. The Big Hello, the national community weekend, will take place on the May bank holiday weekend and is a celebration of the great spirit of community and neighbourliness that exists in our cities, towns and villages. It has been undertaken in the context of many people not knowing their neighbours and some being isolated as a result. We want to see neighbours do what they do best in many places by getting together locally for a celebration that is open and inclusive for all.

There are major opportunities to support rural Ireland and communities. The Department is running a series of rural opportunity events, which seek to highlight the opportunities available to those in rural communities. I attended an event this morning in County Clare. It was inspiring to see some of the best examples of how Government supports have been used to foster enterprise, tourism, quality of life and culture and promote the Irish language. The response to these events has been overwhelmingly positive to date. My hope is that individuals and communities will be encouraged to take their own ideas and projects forward. I am proud of the progress made by the Department in 2018 in the rural and community development areas and I am confident that 2019 will see a continuation of this work.

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