Results 601-620 of 16,601 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Programmes (8 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. I am committed to delivering further iterations of the scheme in the coming years in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government for this to become a permanent rolling...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Programmes (8 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. The closing date for receipt of applications under CLÁR 2025 has now passed for all measures. My officials are currently assessing the applications received. I expect to announce the successful projects under Measure 2 of...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Programme for Government (8 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. I am committed to delivering further iterations of the scheme in the coming years in line with the commitment in the Programme for Government for this to become a permanent rolling...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Data (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: Foras na Gaeilge oversees the Seal of Accreditation for Translators and Editors. The frequency of exams is an operational matter for Foras na Gaeilge, in which neither my Department nor I have a role. I am aware that Foras na Gaeilge does not currently have any plans to increase the frequency of these exams. Separately, my Department is continuously working to ensure there are sufficient...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: I recognise the significant benefit and impact that community cafés have in both urban and rural locations. I also recognise that, by their nature, many of these social enterprises need additional support. Trading for Impact the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027 is committed to helping cultivate strong and impactful social enterprises, including community cafés. This...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Seirbhísí Cúram Leanaí (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: Tuigtear dom go raibh cruinniú ag Oifigigh na Roinne le Coiste Stiúrtha an Ionad Tacaíochta Teaghlaigh ar an 12 Feabhra 2024. Thug an Coiste léargas don Roinn ar na dúshláin a bhí le sárú ag an Ionad. Míníodh dóibh na tacaíochtaí atá ar fáil ón Roinn agus go gcuireann an Roinn agus Údarás na...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department is committed to supporting thriving communities across the country through a range of funding initiatives. With regard to County Louth, my Department has allocated over €6 million in funding in 2023, €10 million in funding in 2024, and €6 million in funding to date in 2025. My Department's capital schemes are of particular importance in this regard. Some...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Properties (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm that my Department does not own any properties that are exempt from commercial rates. There are eight agencies under the remit of my Department, Pobal, Western Development Commission, Charities Regulatory Authority, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency. These agencies are...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (8 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. The scheme is administered at local level by each local authority. As part of this process, local authorities are required to submit the numbers of roads awaiting repair under LIS in their areas as at that point...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: As the Deputy may be aware, the Programme for Government has made a commitment to restoring Scéim na mBóithre Áise in Gaeltacht areas. However, no mechanism has been put in place for this as of yet. The re-establishment of the scheme will, of course, depend on funding and resources being made available through the Estimates Process for this purpose and this is currently at the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Inquiries (8 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. The closing date for receipt of applications under CLÁR 2025 has now passed for all measures. My officials are assessing the applications received, including an application submitted from the group referenced by the Deputy. I...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Projects (8 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 (8 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 LEADER...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (8 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 (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Departments CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. Since the CLÁR programme was reintroduced in 2016, funding of over €84 million has been approved for almost 2,700 projects. This includes supports for a vast array of projects that will benefit people of all ages and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Projects (8 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 across rural Ireland. The monitoring framework for the LEADER programme is underpinned by the themes and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Depopulation (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: Our Rural Future, the whole-of-government policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland, seeks to ensure that rural areas are attractive for people to live, work and raise their families. In line with this, one of the high-level outcomes set out in the policy is for an increase in the number of people living in rural areas. According to the OECD, rural remote regions in Ireland...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Capital Expenditure Programme (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 2776 and 2777 together. My Department has 8 agencies under its remit:The Western Development Commission.The Charities Regulatory Authority.Water Safety Ireland.Pobal.Foras na Gaeilge.Ulster Scots Agency.Údarás na Gaeltachta.Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga.The answers to the previous questions referred to included information regarding the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Expenditure (8 Sep 2025)

Dara Calleary: Access between the islands and the mainland is the most fundamental requirement for those living on our offshore islands and is a lifeline for island communities. Access impacts on every aspect of island life, including health and welfare services, education, employment, social and family life, and business. The Government recognises that affordable, frequent and safe transport services...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Employment Rights (29 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Employment Status Investigation Unit (ESIU) of my Department is a specialised unit of Inspectors with a focus on investigating and reducing misclassification of employment status. Inspectors in this area are appointed to carry out this work under Section 250 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act. The unit operates as a ‘centre of excellence’ with expertise in...