Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I compliment the Minister on introducing this scheme and the way she has turned it around. Her Department has managed to deliver two rounds already and I look forward to the third one. The town and village renewal scheme is excellent. It is a ground-up approach. I work with community organisations throughout County Clare and this has given them a welcome lift in these times. God knows we need it. I compliment the Minister on that.

Does the Minister have plans beyond the next round to introduce a similar scheme for next year? What are her ideas on that? Has she looked for feedback from the local authorities? We have a very progressive local authority. There is a rural directorate in Clare County Council where Leonard Cleary is the director of services. The Minister should reach out to the local authorities throughout the country to get feedback from them with a view to developing a new scheme into the future.

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