Results 10,841-10,860 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Closed-Circuit Television Systems Provision (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: A grant aid scheme to assist community groups to establish community based CCTV systems was announced by the Minister for Justice and Equality in April 2017. The scheme is operated by the Department of Justice and its administration is a matter for that Department.  Information on the scheme and the application process is available at .

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (7 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population.  The 2017 CLÁR programme was launched on 31st March 2017, with a closing date of 5th May 2017. Over 500 applications were received under the programme and successful projects were announced in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Economic Growth Initiatives (9 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: The Programme for a Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development both contain a commitment to progress the concept of an Atlantic Economic Corridor which was proposed in February 2016 by a group involving a number of Chambers of Commerce in the Western region and the American Chambers of Commerce of Ireland.  The overarching objective of the Atlantic Economic...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes Data (9 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 237 to 239, inclusive, together. The 20014-2020 LEADER programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been approved for each LAG area. In the case of 4 LEADER areas under the current programme, the Local Action Group is a Local Development Company. In the other 25...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes Administration (9 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together. LEADER plays a valuable role in supporting rural development and is an important part of the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development.  I am committed to implementing the LEADER programme as effectively as possible and to continuously monitoring progress in the delivery of the programme at all levels. In that regard, it...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Severe Weather Events Response (14 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: Once the decision was taken to issue a status red alert weather warning, officials from my Department contacted all staff by phone, text and email to inform them that the office would not open the following day and that staff should not attempt to travel to work. A very small number of employees who could not be contacted were advised to return home on arrival at the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development Funding (14 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: The Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development contains a number of measures which have the objective of rejuvenating Ireland’s rural towns and villages to make them more attractive places in which to live and work, and to increase their tourism potential. On 4th October last, I announced details of funding of €21.6 million for 281 towns and villages in rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (14 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: I would like to refer the Deputy to my recent response in relation to PQ Reference No. 45886/17 regarding future transitional funding to the Dublin Inner City Community Co-operative Society outlining that I am aware of the issues regarding the transitional funding arrangements in place since 2015 for the organisation concerned. I am also aware of the timelines involved and my Department is...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Improvement Schemes (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: My Department wrote to Local Authorities last August to establish the level of demand for an LIS scheme this year. This is a nation-wide scheme which supports improvement works on private and non-public roads. The Local Authorities were advised that any requests for funds would be subject to their capacity to complete any proposed works in 2017, and funding availability. On 21st...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: My Department wrote to Local Authorities in August to establish the level of demand for an LIS scheme this year. The Local Authorities were advised that any requests for funds would be subject to their capacity to complete any proposed works in 2017, and funding availability. On 21st September, I announced the provision of €10 million for a Local Improvement Scheme which supports...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: The total amount of capital funding allocated to my Department upon its creation was approximately €77 million. To date payments totalling €19.6 million have been made, as shown in the table below. It has been impressed upon Local Authorities the need to accelerate spending on their 2017 projects as a matter of urgency, and capital spend in the final quarter typically...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme Data (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is a key intervention for disadvantaged communities, the delivery of which is overseen and managed by the relevant Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) in each Local Authority area.  Whilst complying with the programme’s aims, objectives and requirements, Programme Implementers are...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: I thank the Chairman. I look forward to working with the new committee in the next few years. I wish the Chairman and members well and I hope we can work together for the betterment of rural Ireland. I welcome the opportunity to discuss with the select committee my Department's Revised Estimate for 2017. The Department of Rural and Community Development was established on 19 July 2017....

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: The Minister of State, Deputy Kyne, will take some of the questions that cover his area. The first question that Deputy O'Keeffe raised is the most important question of the day because it is the most important issue in planning for the future of rural Ireland. At the moment my officials are working with senior officials within the Cabinet sub-committee on the national framework plan. I...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: We prepaid the schemes last year, and much of that prepaid money has been delivered. A number of the new schemes were launched to support the economic development of rural areas, including the renewable energy support scheme, RESS, the ceantar laga árd-riachtanais, CLÁR, scheme, the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme and the town and village renewal scheme. Funding must...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: I wish to respond also to Deputy Canney's question about the Atlantic economic corridor. It is a matter for the committee but I would be happy for the Department to come before it to make a presentation. I would also be happy for the committee to set a date aside for consideration of the action plan.

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: We had a LEADER forum involving all of the relevant groups on 17 May of this year in order to explore the issues and concerns around the lags and delays, and to identify potential solutions and ways of streamlining the current LEADER programme. The forum identified a number of areas where it felt procedures could be streamlined and where the burden of project applications could be reduced....

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: I will make sure that the Deputy gets the updated figures. He is entitled to those.

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: The Deputy is quite correct. There is an overall check from Europe which undertook spot checks in the past following which funding had to be repaid. On the Deputy's point, that is why we made 31 changes in an effort to simplify the process. She is correct. It is something that I inherited. We made the changes and I believe, and the Deputy might check this with her own Leader company,...

Select Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2017
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development (Revised) (15 Nov 2017)

Michael Ring: I do not have responsibility for the local authorities. They are telling me that the reason they are unable to spend the funding is because they do not have the resources or the staff. All I can do is make the money available. Deputy Ó Cuív will know this. We have very effective and efficient local authorities, and some do very well in spending. I was at this in July, but why...