Results 11,941-11,960 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: The Revised Estimates for 2018 in respect of the Department of Rural and Community Development sets out gross capital expenditure of €87.5 million and the current expenditure of €144 million for the Department. The capital expenditure is supplemented by some €7.7 million capital carried forward from 2017. As of 5 November, €54.8 million of my...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: I am surprised to hear that because I was told by colleagues yesterday that some of the local authorities have started spending some of the money that was reallocated to them last week. My understanding is that the local authorities have been notified, but I will correspond to the Deputy on that. The local authorities have been notified of the amount of money they are getting for the year....

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Expenditure (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: On the LIS, the Deputy will be interested to note that €10.8 million was allocated in April of 2018 and up to October, €7.8 million had been drawn down, which is acceptable. I am happy with that and many of the local roads projects will be completed before the end of the year. Deputy Ó Cuív asked why there is an underspend on the current side. I can give him a...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: CLÁR Programme (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small-scale infrastructure projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation. As the Deputy is aware, the programme was effectively closed for new applications in 2010 but I relaunched it in 2016 and since then more than 1,200 projects have been approved for funding of more than €25 million. ...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: CLÁR Programme (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: I agree with Deputy Ó Cuív. As I said, the CLÁR scheme was closed in 2010 and reopened in 2016. The Deputy is correct that it needs to be reviewed. In response to his simple question, I believe that people in rural Ireland have a right to clean water. I agree with the Deputy’s views on CLÁR and I will review both the sewerage and water schemes. The...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: CLÁR Programme (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: No, I cannot guarantee that. However, I agree with the Deputy that we need a top-up for group water and sewerage schemes. I will see what I can do in my Department, but there are budgetary constraints. I am committed to what the Deputy seeks and, like him, believe people in rural Ireland should have both water and sewerage services, where possible, and receive the same supports from the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: The first call for applications for the rural regeneration and development fund closed at the end of September. A total of €1 billion has been committed to the fund over a ten-year period to support rural economic development and help to build strong communities. A total of €55 million has been allocated for the fund in budget 2019. The objective of the fund is to drive...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: As I said in my initial response, it would not be appropriate for me to single out any town, particularly when an application process is in place, with a committee to assess schemes. All I will say is there is €1 billion available for the fund which represents a substantial investment. There is a figure of €400,000 plus that can be invested in any particular project. There...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: It is my job, as Minister for Rural and Community Development, to try to promote development in every rural area. It is my job to support Tipperary town and every other town throughout the country and I am doing so with all of the schemes I have set up such as the town and village renewal scheme and the outdoor recreation scheme. I am also piloting a scheme whereby I have picked six towns...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 6 and 8 together. I launched the new community enhancement programme in May. The programme builds on and replaces the communities facilities scheme and the RAPID programme. Its development followed a review of the two schemes and consultation with the 33 local community development committees, LCDCs, across the country. Details of the review are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: The Deputy has a point but this is the first year of the scheme and I have to give it an opportunity to work. Deputy Eugene Murphy is also in the House and we are all local Deputies. We are trying to bring power down to local level and to give local people the opportunity to make decisions. In the new community enhancement programme we have amalgamated the RAPID programme and communities...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: The value for money report on the RAPID scheme is on the website if the Deputy wants to look at it. The report stated that if we were to run a new scheme it was not to be run in the same way. In my county, the funding last year went into areas that needed it-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Development Initiatives (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: I will send the details to the Deputy. I will be able to send him the details relating to every county because I am asking the local authorities to send me a list of allocations. I will send these to every Deputy because, as was the case with the local improvement scheme, LIS, it represents a safety valve. The local authorities can announce funding but they have to send the details of all...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: RAPID Programme (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: The new community enhancement programme which I launched earlier this year builds on and replaces the original RAPID programme and is different in a number of ways. The funding is allocated by my Department to each local authority area taking account of deprivation levels. Disadvantaged community groups in any location within Wexford, or any other area, can apply to their local community...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: RAPID Programme (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: There are problems in both urban and rural communities. Under the SICAP programme, we put €1.7 million into Wexford and we put in €470,000 under the community enhancement programme. Poverty is both urban and rural and these schemes were set up to target areas of need. It is my job to treat urban and rural areas equally in this regard and ensure that the available funding is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: RAPID Programme (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: I do not disagree with what the Deputy is saying but funding for the community enhancement programme is allocated to each local authority area according to deprivation and population. That is why we recently announced funding for the inner city of Dublin. It has different problems from those we have in rural Ireland. I do not deny that there is very serious deprivation and serious problems...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: LEADER is a multi-annual programme which has a total budget of €250 million over the period to 2020.  Funding to cover the full period of the programme has been allocated to each of the individual local action groups, LAGs, which deliver LEADER. Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced, effectively in 2016, has amounted to approximately €31 million....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy for the question. In respect of his own county of Cavan, €1,519,327 has been approved to date and payments of €336,021 have been made. The Deputy is correct with regard to bureaucracy. We made 32 changes to the LEADER programme to try to make it easier for people to make applications. Deputy Smith, as a long-standing Member of the House, will know from...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Expenditure (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: Some counties, including Cavan, Monaghan, Kerry and Donegal, are doing very well out of the LEADER programme, which is now making allocations. The Deputy asked me whether I would redistribute any of that money. I do not want to do that. Every county has received its allocation and I want this money to be spent in the respective counties. If at some stage I have to review the whole scheme,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Leader Programmes Administration (8 Nov 2018)

Michael Ring: The LEADER programme is driven by a bottom-up approach. Decisions on projects are taken at a local level by local action groups which have been approved to administer the programme. The Department of Rural and Community Development engages with the local action groups on a regular basis with regard to every aspect of the programme. As part of this engagement, a LEADER forum was held with...