Results 11,621-11,640 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Other Questions: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I launched the 2018 town and village renewal scheme on 27 April this year with an allocation of €15 million for projects which will run over a 12 to 18-month period. Local authorities are required to seek expressions of interest from communities for proposals under the scheme, and each county has been invited to submit up to 12 proposals to my Department for consideration. The...

Other Questions: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy for his comments. He was correct that this has been a positive scheme with tremendous work being done. In his county, €796,403 has been allocated to a number of projects, for some which he lobbied hard. They are making an impact and the town and village renewal scheme is working well. I want the scheme to continue. I hope we will see some good projects on foot of it.

Other Questions: Offshore Islands (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy for his question. Statutory responsibility for the development and improvement of roads, including those on offshore islands, lies with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. However, since 2017, my Department has funded a local improvement scheme, which is a scheme for carrying out improvement works on private-non-public roads. Often these roads...

Other Questions: Offshore Islands (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. There are three islands in my constituency, although I acknowledge there are not many in the midlands.

Other Questions: Offshore Islands (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I compliment my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Kyne who opened up a scheme for the islands. Deputy Penrose was correct in pointing out that the islands incur extra costs to transport materials in and out of them. I would like co-operation between the local authorities, the Departments of Transport, Tourism and Sport and Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and my...

Other Questions: Offshore Islands (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: Yes.

Other Questions: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 16 together. I thank the Deputy for her question. The town and village renewal scheme is a key component in revitalising towns and villages and sustaining our rural communities. It was introduced in 2016 and allocated €10 million to 170 projects in its first year of operation. In 2017, as part of the Action Plan for Rural Development, I...

Other Questions: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputies for their questions. I will not be political, but there have been many closures of small shops in recent years. They are finding it difficult thanks to the Internet and so on. People sometimes forget that many small shops are closing because multinationals have entered their areas. I have seen this happen in my own area. It is not always a good thing. I would prefer...

Other Questions: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: In 2016, I approved an allocation of €9.8 million. Of that, €9.7 million was spent. That is 92%. The point that Deputy Deering raised was one of the complaints that I received from local authorities. I met the CCMA, which complained that many schemes had landed on authorities quickly and they did not have the necessary resources. 12 o’clock They know now. I...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The CLÁR programme is an important part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development and makes a huge contribution to supporting 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 de-population.    CLÁR was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seniors Alert Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The allocation for the Seniors Alert Scheme in 2016 was €2.3m of which €1.8m was spent. Following a review, I launched a new scheme which took effect on 1 November 2017.  A media and information campaign was organised to support the launch.   The key features of the new scheme include: - free monitoring of the alarm service for the 1st year;   - a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a programme for improvement works on small private/non-public roads. The scheme is currently funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities. In 2017, I allocated a total of €440,460 to Carlow County Council under LIS. An initial allocation  of €250,000 was made in September and a further allocation of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I am very pleased to see the strong level of interest in the Local Improvement Scheme since I re-launched the scheme last September.  For many years, there was no dedicated funding for LIS, due to the constraints on the public finances.  However, the level of interest in this House, at County Council level, and from residents who live on LIS roads, shows the underlying need for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Policy (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The rural development schemes currently operated by my Department are not confined to towns and villages. For example, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Schemeprovidesfunding for the development and maintenance of walking trails, cycleways and blueways which bring visitors to rural areas and support local job creation through the provision of services and accommodation.  I recently...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Banking (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to investigate the feasibility of 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...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 21, 40 and 44 together. The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will make a significant and sustainable positive impact on rural communities in the years ahead. It can help strengthen rural Ireland through supporting job creation and addressing depopulation where this is an issue. Under Project Ireland 2040, the Government has committed to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I launched the 2018 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme on the 1st of June. The scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural Ireland. In the last two years, the scheme has funded trails, walkways, cycleways, blueways, and projects that improve...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cross-Border Projects (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 23 and 27 together. Discussions between my Department and counterpart Departments in Northern Ireland take place primarily within the Steering Committee process for the PEACE IV programme, engaging directly on specific projects from time to time when necessary. PEACE IV supports peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Cross-Border Co-operation (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: As Minister for Rural and Community Development I am a member of the North South Ministerial Council. However, my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has primary responsibility with respect to the North South Ministerial Council relating to Agriculture and Rural Development. The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC) has been unable to meet since the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The organisation referred to by the Deputy (Men's Sheds) is a member-based network with associated member bodies throughout the country.  My Department provides funding both to the central organisation and to its individual member bodies under a number of different funding streams. The Men's Sheds movement has been a tremendous success. Since June 2017, the Irish Men's...