Results 13,721-13,740 of 15,109 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Men's Sheds (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides funding to Men's Sheds under various funding streams, namely the Community Enhancement Programme/Local Enhancement Programme and its various iterations, SICAP, LEADER, Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) and via the Irish Men’s Shed Association (IMSA). Men’s sheds apply individually for most of the schemes mentioned above. The funding...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Men's Sheds (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a range of supports which are available to Men's Sheds. These supports include:The €7 million Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 which allowed Men's Sheds to apply for running costs as well as small capital works for the purchase of equipment for their facilities. LEP 2025 has recently closed for applications.The Social Inclusion and Community Activation...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Accordingly, the delivery of a new library in Athenry is primarily a matter for Galway County Council. In April 2023, my Department invited all Local Authorities to submit proposals for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department mainly recruits staff through the Public Appointments Service who carry out Garda vetting on all individuals who join the Civil Service. Where necessary, my Department also carries out checks, which can include checks regarding identification, qualifications and the right to work in Ireland. As such, all those recruited to work in my Department are fully vetted. There are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department's Community Services Programme (CSP) currently supports over 430 community-based organisations, with a budget of €55.4m in 2025, to provide local services through a social enterprise model. The CSP Progamme provides an annual co-funding contribution towards each full-time equivalent (FTE) position being supported and, where warranted, towards the cost of employing a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The provision of library services including new library buildings is primarily a matter for Local Authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001. Notwithstanding this, investing in our public library services is a key priority for me, as Minister with responsibility for the development of library policy. This is reflected in the National Public...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Last week I approved over €26 million for 369 community centres under Category 2 of the Community Centre Investment Fund 2024. Funding of up to €100,000 will be provided to each successful community centre to support vital refurbishment and enhancement works. The projects include building renovations, enhanced amenities, accessibility measures and energy upgrades which can help...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Last week I approved over €26 million for 369 community centres under Category 2 of the Community Centre Investment Fund 2024. Funding of up to €100,000 will be provided to each successful community centre to support vital refurbishment and enhancement works. The projects include building renovations, enhanced amenities, accessibility measures and energy upgrades to help build...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Men's Sheds (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a range of supports which are available to Men's Sheds including those referred to by the Deputy. These supports include:The €7 million Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 which allowed Men's Sheds to apply for running costs as well as small capital works for the purchase of equipment for their facilities. LEP 2025 has recently closed for applications.The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Men's Sheds (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department provides a range of supports which are available to Men's Sheds including those referred to by the Deputy. These supports include:The €7 million Local Enhancement Programme (LEP) 2025 which allowed Men's Sheds to apply for running costs as well as small capital works for the purchase of equipment for their facilities. LEP 2025 has recently closed for applications.The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has no contracts with the company referenced.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Animal Breeding (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm a Dog Breeding Establishment National Register containing information for 2024 is available on my Department’s dog control page on gov.ie. My officials are in the process of requesting updates for the database from all local authorities for 2025, and once all returns are received, collated and analysed they will be published on gov.ie. The Dog Breeding Establishments...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: In respect of the project referred to by the Deputy, I can confirm that €264,000 was awarded to Kildare County Council through the Community Recognition Fund 2024 as a contribution to the purchase of the building in which this project is to be located. Kildare County Council have advised that the purchase process is progressing. I understand that my colleague, Darragh O'Brien TD,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Information with regard to the annual amount of travel and subsistence which was claimed by special advisors over the period from 1st March 2020 to date in 2025, is detailed in the table below. No claims have been made to date in 2025. With regard to individual trips or journeys, the Department is not in a position to provide this information, in the context of the General Data Protection...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Contracts (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services for my Department are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Office (OGCIO) and there is, therefore, limited use of external ICT services. On occasion, the Department procures external ICT services to supplement the managed desktop service and helpdesk provided by the OGCIO. This includes, for example, support to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: Last week I approved over €26 million for 369 community centres under Category 2 of the Community Centre Investment Fund 2024. Funding of up to €100,000 will be provided to each successful community centre to support vital refurbishment and enhancement works. The projects include building renovations, enhanced amenities, accessibility measures and energy upgrades to help build...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has a number of capital programmes designed to support community groups wishing to renovate facilities and public spaces which are available to the wider community. While the area referred to by the Deputy is not eligible under CLÁR, the project may be eligible under a future iteration of the Community Recognition Fund (CRF). The CRF has supported a number of renovation...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Bodies (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1964 to 1967, inclusive, together. There are four agencies under the remit of my Department; the Charities Regulator, the Western Development Commission (WDC), Water Safety Ireland (WSI) and Pobal. The role and functions of each of these bodies is set out in the relevant legislation, namely the Western Development Commission Act 1998, and the Water Safety...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Reviews (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: As with other schemes of my Department, the Community and Voluntary Pillar (C&V Pillar) funding scheme is kept under continuous review. Notwithstanding this, over the last twelve months officials at my Department have engaged with members of the C&V pillar, both as a group and bilaterally, regarding the need to consider options for the future of the scheme. Department officials will...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund (19 Mar 2025)

Dara Calleary: The main purpose of the Dormant Accounts Acts is to reunite account holders with their funds. Unclaimed funds are transferred to the Dormant Accounts Fund, which is managed by the National Treasury Management Agency. The beneficial owner has a right to reclaim their money at any time. Legislation governing Dormant Accounts established an administrative framework within which Departments...