Results 11,421-11,440 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Other Questions: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: On a serious note, I reiterate that I do not pick the schemes. I will look at the local authorities, and Deputy Ó Cuív supports me on this. They look for the local contribution and charge an administrative fee for the scheme. I looked at one scheme recently which cost €21,000. The Department had allocated €26,000 and the council had taken €3,000 to...

Other Questions: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: That is something that needs to be looked at. An issue which Deputy Ó Cuív raised has raised before, which I have raised with officials, and Deputy McLoughlin also brought up is the charges per square metre for roads. I want the Department to do some work on this because I want to see the €10.7 million this year, or the €17.7 million last year, put into roads. The...

Other Questions: Seniors Alert Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The number of approved participants in the seniors alert scheme in 2017 in the areas in question were 276 in Sligo and 182 in Leitrim. Following the launch of a new scheme which took effect on 1 November 2017, my Department conducted a very successful nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at older people, their extended families and friends who may not have been aware of the scheme....

Other Questions: Seniors Alert Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: I took this scheme on board last year because, as the Deputy notes, we had many problems in the countryside, especially with criminal gangs who were targeting elderly people. People must be safe in their homes. The initial take-up was not large. In 2015, 1,321 took up the scheme. In 2016, it was 7,301 and, because of the Department's campaign which targeted local radio and newspapers...

Other Questions: Seniors Alert Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: We made a number of changes to the scheme last year and we made it easier for people. They do not have to pay for the first year of monitoring because the Department pays for it. The scheme has been very successful and I am delighted that so many people have availed of it. I compliment all the community groups, particularly Pobal, on the public shows they held around the country which led...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Administration (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Local Improvement Scheme was always an important initiative for people living in rural Ireland, as it provides funding for the repair of private roads which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities.  I reintroduced dedicated funding for the Local Improvement Scheme in September 2017 after a gap of 8 years and I know, from the response of people that I meet,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department delivers a number of programmes that support the development of recreational facilities in rural areas and I will continue to deliver on these initiatives in 2018. For example, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme supports the development, maintenance, enhancement and promotion of recreational infrastructure, including walking trails, greenways, and blueways in rural...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund Administration (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department commenced the process of preparing the 2018 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan in February.  In order to initiate the process, I wrote to Ministers in February requesting that their Departments identify potential projects or programmes which might be included in the Action Plan.  Following the receipt of initial proposals from other Departments and agencies, my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: I reintroduced dedicated funding for the Local Improvement Scheme in September 2017 after a gap of 8 years. This scheme is a lifeline for people living in rural areas because it directly improves their access to and from their homes and farms, and has made a huge difference for rural communities around the country. In September 2017, I approved €10 million in funding for the Local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: CLÁR is a targeted capital investment programme for rural areas which have experienced significant levels of depopulation. The programme was originally launched in October 2001 but was closed for applications in 2010. I re-opened the programme in 2016 and, since then, 900 projects have been approved for funding under CLÁR. I launched the 2018 CLÁR programme on 15th March,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) programme is an important part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and makes a huge contribution to supporting some of the most depopulated areas in rural Ireland.  The programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Agencies (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: Pobal was established by Government in 1992 as Area Development Management Ltd. (ADM).  The company has grown significantly and they now manage and administer programmes on behalf of a number of Government Departments.  In 2005, ADM was re-named Pobal. Pobal is a not for profit company limited by guarantee.  Charitable status was granted to the company by the Revenue...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Action Plan for Rural Development was launched in January 2017. The Plan contains 277 actions aimed at supporting the economic and social progress of rural Ireland. These actions are for delivery across Government, State agencies and other bodies, over the period 2017-2019. One of the objectives of the Action Plan is to support enterprise growth and job creation in rural areas. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The organisation referred to by the Deputy is a member-based network with associated member bodies throughout the country.  My Department provided funding to the central organisation and its individual member bodies under a number of different funding streams in 2017. I provided funding of €14,900 on a once off basis, to the central organisation to purchase IT equipment to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Banking (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to investigate a new model of community banking for Ireland, including an investigation of the German Sparkassen model for the development of local public banks that operate within well-defined regions. A project team comprising officials from my Department and the Department of Finance was established last year to progress...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department administers the Walks Scheme which facilitates the development and maintenance of many of Ireland’s walking trails. The scheme involves landholders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on sections of National Way Marked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. Participating...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Telecommunications Services Provision (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was established in July 2016 to identify solutions to broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits and to investigate how better services could be provided to consumers prior to full roll-out of National Broadband Plan. The Taskforce published its final report in December 2016, which set out 40 actions aimed at addressing the issues it identified. An...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Youth Employment Initiative (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Disadvantaged Youth Employment Initiative was included in the 2016 and 2017 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plans.  Funding allocated in respect of the measure included in the 2016 Action Plan was €1.25m, however no expenditure was incurred.  No funding was allocated in respect of the measure included in the 2017 Action Plan.  These initiatives were not rolled out as...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Communities Facilities Scheme Applications (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Communities Facilities Scheme (CFS) was launched in 2017 with a budget for that year of €2 million. An allocation of €2 million has again been made available in 2018. The scheme supports community participation and involvement nationwide by helping grassroots community projects get underway or take the next step towards completion. Under the scheme, community and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department administers the Walks Scheme which facilitates the development and maintenance of many of Ireland’s walking trails. The scheme involves landholders as key participants in the provision of high quality walking trails, by contracting them to undertake maintenance work on sections of National Way Marked Ways and other priority walks that traverse their lands. Participating...