Results 14,741-14,760 of 15,157 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Policies (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Our Rural Future 2021-2025 has provided vital investment and supports, strengthened local economies and improved the lives of many people in rural communities across Ireland. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a new Our Rural Future policy from 2026. The process of developing this successor policy has already begun. The new policy will be...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Urban Development (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Launched in 2022, ‘Town Centre First’ (TCF) is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. In line with its remit, my Department has supported the development of Town Centre First Plans for Dublin towns in areas such as Rush and Lusk. The Town Centre First policy supports the vision outlined in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, the government has provided almost €170 million to local authorities for LIS. In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for LIS across all local authorities to cover 2024/2025. This figure includes...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Technological Universities (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: A key focus of Our Rural Future - the Government's Rural Development Policy 2021 to 2025 - is to optimise digital connectivity to support vibrant, sustainable rural communities, ensuring equality of access to digital services. Our Rural Future committed to the establishment of a network of 400 remote working hubs across the country by the end of 2025. Connectedhubs.ie was launched in mid...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 with funding of €50 million to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Further funding of €50 million was provided under the 2024 fund. Last August, €16.4 million was approved to deliver 185 community projects across the country under the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. The Programme for Government makes a commitment to carry out a comprehensive review of the eligibility criteria for CLÁR within 6 months with a view to expanding the programme to rural areas which are currently ineligible. This review has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: As the Deputy will be aware, my Department operates a range of schemes and programmes, which support communities in urban and rural Ireland, details of which can be accessed on my Departments website. In relation to the location that the Deputy refers to, it should be noted that the provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. Local authorities have responsibility for all operational matters under the Control of Dogs Acts. All local authorities have a responsibility under the Control of Dogs Acts to employ at least one dog warden. It is a matter for each Local Authority to ensure additional dog wardens are appointed to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Vacant Properties (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages across Ireland in line with the objectives contained in Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy, and the Town Centre First policy. The 2022 Town and Village Renewal Scheme prioritised projects that bring vacant and derelict buildings back...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Road Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme is an important support for rural communities in improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, almost €170 million has been provided by the Government to local authorities under the Scheme. In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for LIS across all local...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Reviews (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: There are no non-governmental organisations which operate under the aegis of my Department. Rather my Department operates a wide range of funding schemes to which community and voluntary groups, charities, social enterprises and other such organisations can make applications. All grants issued by my Department have specific terms and conditions associated with the grant funding. While...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Digital Hubs (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 96 and 113 together. A key focus of Our Rural Future - the Government's Rural Development Policy 2021 to 2025 - is to optimise digital connectivity to support vibrant, sustainable rural communities, ensuring equality of access to digital services. Our Rural Future committed to the establishment of a network of 400 remote working hubs across the country by...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: Under the Community Recognition Fund 2023 and 2024 a total of €100 million in funding has been made available to communities across Ireland. Last August, €16.4 million was approved to deliver 185 community projects across the country under the first tranche of the 2024 allocation. On 24th February, I approved over €14 million to deliver 164 projects across the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Control of Dogs (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The ban on XL Bully type dogs was announced in the interest of public safety following a series of serious attacks. The ban was brought in over two stages to give XL Bully type dog owners who wished to keep their dog, the time to obtain a 'Certificate of Exemption'. In total over 1,800 applications for 'Certificates of Exemption' were received, and to date almost 1,000 have been granted. A...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period. I launched the 2025 CLÁR programme on 4th April last. Applications were invited under three separate measures: Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Northern Ireland (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The PEACEPLUS programme has a total value of €1.1 billion and is funding projects across Northern Ireland and the border region counties of Ireland, until 2029. PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the Irish Government, the European Commission, the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. The programme is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), one of the North-South...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department's Social Inclusion & Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is our country’s primary social inclusion programme, aiming to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion & equality in Ireland through supporting communities & individuals using community development approaches, engagement & collaboration. SICAP supports in Mayo are allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The current LEADER Programme runs to 2027 and is now up and running across the country. It supports a broad range of enterprises and community groups to develop projects which improve the quality of life and economic activity in rural areas. It is delivered through Local Action Groups across rural Ireland, facilitating a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The LEADER...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The development and enhancement of rural local infrastructure and community services via capital projects across the country is a priority for me and this Government. Full details of the supports available within my Department and funding awarded can be accessed at www.gov.ie/en/department-of-rural-and-community-development/ services/available-funding-and-supports/ This information also...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (22 May 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) has provided in excess of €109 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Over €45.8 million was approved for some 861 community centres nationwide under CCIF 2022. A CCIF new builds measure was opened in 2023 however there were no applications from...