Results 341-360 of 14,473 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Dormant Accounts Fund (DAF) Growing Social Enterprise Fund was launched by my department in 2024 to provide capital grant supports to assist social enterprises achieve their social, environmental or economic objectives. The scheme will provide social enterprises with funding across two strands: Strand A providing funding of between €1,500 and €15,000, Strand B providing...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 was announced in November 2024, with funding of €7 million to assist thousands of community groups across the country by providing capital and current supports. The LEP is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible supports where they are needed most. Under the Local Enhancement...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Legislative Measures (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: A high level stakeholder group was established in 2024 to consider the policy and legislative matters currently under the remit of my Department, specifically the Dog Control Acts and the Dog Breeding Establishments Act. The stakeholder group meets regularly and its remit includes considering the need for legislative change. This requires in depth analysis and consultation to ensure...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: In recent months, we have again seen the benefit of well-resourced community facilities. In the aftermath of storm Éowyn, communities were able to get some relief through local community buildings, many of which were repurposed as Community Emergency Response Hubs. I believe that the Hubs were an important part of the response on the ground and I want to ensure that communities are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities, with the mandate to promote good governance practice. My Department has been assigned responsibility for the Charities...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Government's five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector, Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities, was published in 2019. The strategy reaffirms the Government’s commitment to supporting the sector and addressing some of the burdens faced by service providers. The implementation of the strategy is being overseen by the Cross-Sectoral Group on...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charitable and Voluntary Organisations (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: In 2019, my Department published Sustainable, Inclusive and Empowered Communities - A five-year strategy to support the community and voluntary sector in Ireland 2019-2024. The implementation of the strategy is being overseen by the Cross-Sectoral Group on Local and Community Development which supports my Department in the prioritisation of objectives and actions to be progressed within...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Programme for Government commits to the development and publication of a successor policy to Our Rural Future, Ireland's national rural development policy, which reaches its conclusion at the end of 2025. My Department recently conducted an online public consultation survey to inform the development of the new policy. This survey is the first step in an extensive consultation process...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Centre Investment Fund has provided in excess of €109 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Over €33 million has now been approved for in excess of 770 projects nationwide under the 2024 fund. However, given the very significant level of demand, not all applications were...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Centre Investment Fund has provided in excess of €109 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Over €33 million has now been approved for in excess of 770 projects nationwide under the 2024 fund. However, given the very significant level of demand, not all applications were...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: In 2023, the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) was replaced by the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP). The LEP 2025 was launched last November with €7 million available to assist thousands of community groups across the country by providing capital and current supports. The LEP is targeted to the specific challenges facing local community groups and delivers immediate, tangible...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Meetings (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm that I have not had any meetings with the Polish Ambassador to Ireland to date in 2025.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: I would like to acknowledge See My Skills and their valuable work which is having a meaningful impact on the lives of people living with disabilities by making workplaces more accessible. Listed below are a number of available resources that may be useful for organisations like See my Skills. It is recommended that any organisation seeking supports should contact their nearest Local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Information and Communications Technology (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm that all IT systems in use within my Department can accommodate an síneadh fada.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: EU Directives (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: There are currently no EU Directives awaiting transposition by my Department.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Properties (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has not rented office space since its establishment in 2017. It currently occupies office space at Trinity Point, Dublin 2, and Government Buildings, Ballina, Co. Mayo. Both offices are in the ownership of the Office of Public Works (OPW). My Department also has responsibility for the Islands, with a small staffing complement based in Na Forbacha, County Galway. This...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2620 and 2621 together. My Department contracts cleaning and security services for its head office in Trinity Point, Dublin 2. There are three relevant contracts currently in place, as detailed in the table below. As lead tenant of the building my Department manages one contract for the cleaning of common areas and another contract for reception/security...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2622, 2623, 2624, 2625 and 2626 together. The Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. TCF supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland by setting out a framework to facilitate and resource the regeneration of Irish towns...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regeneration Projects (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme places particular emphasis on projects that had a renewed focus on town centre economic and social recovery and regeneration. On 19 March last I was delighted to launch the 2025 TVRS scheme which is now open for applications. Under this round of the TVRS and in a further effort to transform and regenerate town centres, the call for applications...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Men's Sheds (29 Apr 2025)

Dara Calleary: The emergence of Men’s Sheds has been a very positive development for communities across Ireland. They provide a safe, comfortable and inclusive environment where people of all ages can share skills, work on meaningful projects and connect with their communities. I am fully committed to supporting Men's Sheds in the valuable work they do. The Programme for Government includes a...