Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I understand that the Deputy’s question refers to an application for funding from Cork County Council to the rural regeneration and development fund which is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development. The rural regeneration and development fund seeks to support ambitious and strategic projects which have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. It is one of the four funds established under Project Ireland 2040. The Government has committed €1 billion over ten years to the fund and €315 million has been allocated for the period 2019 to 2022. The first call for applications closed in September 2018. There was a large response to the call with 280 applications received. On foot of the first call, 38 successful category 1 projects and 46 category 2 projects were announced with funding of €86 million provided from the fund to support projects worth €117 million throughout the country.

Successful proposals for the fund are determined on a competitive basis and not all projects which meet the requirements may be funded. The Department received a category 1 application from Cork County Council for the Kanturk link road for funding of €747,000. The proposal underwent an assessment by the Department and was considered by the independent project advisory board. However, it was not recommended for funding to the Minister at the time. As it is a competitive process, not all projects that apply to each call can be funded. The assessment process for applications made under the first call comprised different stages of evaluation. The initial assessment was undertaken by the Department of Rural and Community Development, which involved proposed projects being marked against the criteria set out in the information booklet for the first call. The next stage in the process was consideration by the project advisory board, which was established to provide high level guidance on the suitability of proposals for funding and assisting in making recommendations to the Minister. The project advisory board considered the projects under these criteria: the marks applied in the internal evaluation process; categorisation of the applications by the Department; the observations and advice of the members of the board; and the need to deliver balanced regional development in accordance with the aims of the national planning framework and the objectives of the fund.

Final decisions on the funding of projects were made by the Minister, Deputy Ring, following consideration of the recommendations to him. Under the first call, the Minister, Deputy Ring, announced funding of €4.4 million for eight projects in County Cork. Among these projects was the development of a multi-purpose, flood-lit, all-weather facility in the village of Banteer. This facility will be available for use by the community throughout the year. The second project was the relocation, restoration and fit-out of a heritage building in Kinsale town centre as the new library for the town. The third was an international standard mountain bike trail in the Ballyhoura region. The new trail will provide recreational, health and tourism benefits. Another project was the development of regeneration strategies for the towns of Rathcormac and Ballydesmond. Applicants who have been unsuccessful in the first call may reapply for the second call.

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