Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)

I agree with the Deputy. We have made changes to CLÁR since I took office. I increased the maximum payable grant for a successful measure one project from €50,000 to €65,000. For two measure 1 applications, local authorities can apply for an increased level of funding of €100,000. I have provided for an extra application by local authorities that have Gaeltacht areas in their counties, so those areas can be supported. As the Deputy stated, the emphasis of CLÁR is on supporting infrastructure to assist communities in being resilient and the development of communities. The recent announcements on transport included €41,000 for Cavan local development and for meals on wheels. In all, 62 CLÁR projects have been approved in Cavan since 2020 to the value of €2.72 million. There have been 71 in Monaghan to the value of €2.78 million. It includes sensory gardens, sports facilities, community halls and a teenage hangout area in Ballybay.

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