Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I want to discuss the issue of the Kanturk link road. This project has received planning permission and it is shovel-ready. Significant progress has been made by the local authority in terms of the purchase of the land and the design process. The lands required having been already fenced off by Cork County Council. Councillor Bernard Moynihan has put a great deal of work into this project at council level. It is a priority project. Kanturk has the unique distinction of being the largest town in the largest barony in the largest county of Ireland.

It is a focal point for Duhallow. It has significant potential. We have secured funding for a number of significant projects, which are moving on. I am talking about the link road and the relief which it will give to the town centre at points during rush hour, for example, when the town is choked and congested with traffic. This link road has been discussed at local authority and other levels over the last 25 years. This project is almost ready. It was submitted under the rural regeneration programme when it was last open at the end of last year. I am extremely disappointed that funding did not come through on that occasion. It is a shovel-ready project. Substantial emphasis has been put on developing the town. Why it did not get funding at that stage is beyond me.

The Department of Rural and Community Development has to accept that this is a worthwhile project. It has been prioritised by Cork County Council. The local authority has done substantial work to advance this and other projects going through the planning and design process which are awaiting funding, such as the school. Planning permission has been secured. The county council has purchased the required lands. It is a shovel-ready project. The Minister might allude in his response to why the funding was not forthcoming to the last round in November. There was another round in February or March. The link road in Kanturk is a project which would contribute to economic development in the region. It is vitally important to ensure that Kanturk town can grow and develop and that we have a centre for the greater Duhallow region, a market town similar to many other towns. I need not advise the Minister of State about the number of shops closed in many of these towns and the decay in these communities, including Kanturk. Will the Minister of State explain why it has not been funded to date? What funding can the Minister of State offer for the link road in Kanturk in County Cork?

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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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.

Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Applicants who were unsuccessful in the first call may reapply for the second call. When will the second call be? How much money is in the second call? The Minister of State said that when the advisory board evaluated the project, it did not meet the criteria. Has there been an engagement process between the local authority and the Department about this funding of €747,000? It underwent an assessment by the Department. Could we have the independent project advisory board recommendations? Why was it not funded under that? How much money is available under the next project? Will the Minister commit that the vital link road in Kanturk will be considered under that? I cannot overstate the importance of this to the town of Kanturk and to the region. It is important to allow it to grow and prosper. The Minister of State said that there will be a new call which can be applied to. When is the second call happening? When will decisions be made on the second call? Is there any possibility that funding applications that are already in place could be looked at in light of further moneys that may be made available? While it was not successful with previous calls, will the Minister of State commit or is there any possibility that moneys that are still in the Department under that rural regeneration fund could be given to Kanturk as a matter of urgency rather than going through the second phase of this? I think Cork County Council made an exceptional application. The reasons were outlined very clearly. Is there any possibility that any funding coming down the tracks could be provided rather than going through a second call? The Minister of State might outline the process for the second call if that is how it has to proceed.

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The second call for applications to the rural regeneration and development fund is now open and the closing date for that is 6 August. The over-arching priority for the second call for proposals will be to support projects which exhibit the greatest potential for the achievement of stated national, regional and local strategic development and planning objectives, and the delivery of significant and sustainable regeneration in rural towns and villages and the surrounding areas. The types of project that will be supported under this call include infrastructure that enables improved accessibility with and to towns and villages, especially to support sustainable modes such as walking, cycling and public transport links.

The Deputy asked if this application can be considered now rather than waiting for the next application process. The application process is open so the council should apply now under this application. With regard to feedback about the first application, the Department has given feedback to the local authorities on projects if they were not successful and has set out the areas in which they were weakest, and there is a dialogue. This call is only for category 1 projects. The money committed in the last call is committed so there is no more money.

The first €86 million will be spent from now on. A total of €315 million will be spent over the four years. I expect a similar amount of money will be available for the next funding year. An application must be made by the local authority. Applicants must take cognisance of the fact that the application process might be slightly different due to the nuances that might have been introduced since the previous year. It is not exactly the same. Issues arise due to Brexit and how the project will impact positively in a Brexit situation. It is important that the local authority would examine the application process and the questions and not just think it is the same as the previous application process. If assistance is required, the Department will provide it at any stage. The project described by Deputy Michael Moynihan is the type of one I would consider suitable for a rural regeneration project. It is important that the application is sent in as the closing date is 6 August 2019. Applications are open to projects that have planning permission and where everything is in place so that they are ready to go to the next stage, which is full design and construction.