Results 461-480 of 16,601 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The current LEADER Programme, which runs to 2027, is operational across the country. It supports a broad range of enterprises and community groups to develop projects which improve the quality of life and economic activity in rural areas. It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland, facilitating a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) has provided approximately €110 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Over €45.8 million was approved for some 861 community centres nationwide under CCIF 2022. In early 2024, funding of over €30 million was approved for the construction of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides core funding to Volunteer Centres on an annual basis to support their operations. Volunteer Centre operations include providing a placement service between individuals and groups who want to undertake voluntary activity and organisations that are seeking to involve volunteers; matching individuals and groups interested in volunteering with appropriate specific...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The details requested by the Deputy are outlined in the attached tables in respect of funding under the Connected Hubs Calls, funding for Broadband Connection Points, and the Connected Hubs Voucher Scheme. Other capital schemes within my Department, such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Scheme (RRDF) and the Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS), provide funding towards projects...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme or LIS is a key support to rural communities in improving non-public rural roads and laneways that are not typically maintained by local authorities. Since its launch in 2017, the Government has allocated nearly €184 million to local authorities for LIS. Due to the continued strong demand for funding under the Scheme, I was pleased to recently announce...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Supervalu TidyTowns competition is a unique volunteer-led programme that makes a hugely positive contribution in communities across Ireland. I am very aware of the work undertaken by our TidyTowns groups and of the costs which can arise in the course of this work. With this in mind, direct financial supports have been put in place for TidyTowns groups. Since 2017, the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) allocated funding of €100 million across two rounds of funding in 2023 and 2024. Under the 2023 iteration of the scheme, Carlow County Council were allocated €937,967 for 9 projects and associated administration costs; €634,221 of this has been drawn down. Kilkenny County Council were allocated €948,063 for 19 projects of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The main purpose of the Dormant Accounts Act is to reunite account holders with their funds. Unclaimed funds are transferred to the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is managed by the National Treasury Management Agency. The beneficial owner has a right to reclaim their money at any time. Legislation governing Dormant Accounts established an administrative framework for the disbursement of funds...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: In December 2021, €2.6 million in funding was made available by my Department to develop 26 Town Centre First (TCF) Town Plans. These community-based plans are produced by a local Town Team, drawn from local community and business representatives, to set out a vision and identify regeneration opportunities, direct investment and maximise the unique strengths and assets of their town....

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: As part of the response to the unprecedented challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, my Department provided a range of supports to communities across the country. This included adapting elements of some existing schemes, such as the Town and Village Renewal Scheme and the Community Services Programme, and the provision of specific targeted one-off measures such as the COVID-19 Stability...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department's CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. Last Friday, I was delighted to announce funding for over €1.7 million for 32 vehicles under measure 2 of the 2025 CLÁR programme, including an allocation of €26,400 in respect of a vehicle for the organisation...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Projects (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a strategic capital investment fund that is key to the delivery of Ireland's rural development policy, Our Rural Future 2021-2025. The RRDF provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. Funding is allocated to local authorities and other State-funded bodies,...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Projects (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a strategic capital investment fund that is key to the delivery of Ireland's rural development policy, Our Rural Future 2021-2025. The RRDF provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. Funding is allocated to local authorities and other State-funded bodies,...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department operates a number of grant schemes aimed at supporting rural development, community development and the Gaeltacht. In general these grant schemes provide supports to local authorities or to community and voluntary groups throughout the country, rather than individuals. Policy responsibility for air quality matters rests with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment,...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Special Educational Needs (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a suite of employment supports for to ensure access to the workforce for all  disabled people, including those on the autism spectrum. My Department's Intreo service is a single point of contact for all employment and income supports in the State.  In line with the spirit of the UNCRPD, disabled people can access mainstream employment and training...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: Disability Allowance (DA) is my Department's primary disability related social assistance scheme. DA is a means-tested payment for people with a disability who are aged between 16 and 66. In order to be eligible, the disability must be expected to last for at least one year. The allowance is also subject to a means test, a medical assessment and a habitual residency requirement. I can...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Rural Schemes (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is an income support scheme that provides part-time employment opportunities for low-income farmers and fishers in receipt of specified social welfare payments, and who are underemployed in their primary occupation. As the Deputy is aware, the RSS review was published on 24 July 2024 to examine the role of the scheme, its ongoing relevance to the changing...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Schemes (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department established an Interdepartmental Working Group with the Department of Health and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, to examine and review the entire system of means test for carers' payments. This included the Carer's Allowance payment. The group has concluded its work, and the report from the group has been submitted to me. I will consider the findings of...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: At the end of June 2025 there were 48,770 persons in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance for more than 12 months. Of these almost 44,000 had a new or existing referral to employment supports or training courses during the previous 12 months. Not only is employment crucial to our economy and society, but it is also vital to individual well-being, not just in the financial sense but in terms...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Weather Events (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Humanitarian Assistance Scheme (HAS) was activated nationally on the morning of Friday, 24 January 2025 in response to Storm Éowyn. Community Welfare Officers from the Department were in place instantly to respond to the immediate needs of affected households. The deadline for submitting HAS 1 applications was 25 April 2025. The majority of payments made to people to date as a...