Results 2,721-2,740 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I am glad that Kieran Mulvey has been appointed the just transition commissioner because that is a good move. I worked with him when he chaired a task force about inner city Dublin and he did a tremendous job. The Government went on to support the particular project that the task force came up with. My Department provides rural regeneration and development funding. We gave €1.2...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Regional Development (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I will send the Deputy the details on the Slieve Bloom project, which is exciting and which will create jobs in the region. Kieran Mulvey will be talking to all interest groups and I am glad that Bord na Móna and the ESB are ready to talk. Some funding will be put in place. Some €6 million was allocated in the budget for a just transition fund and the ESB has agreed to put...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I am delighted that the Deputy is so happy that I am doing so well with my Department. The Action Plan for Rural Development was published in January 2017 as the first whole-of-Government initiative to support the economic and social progress of rural Ireland. The cross-departmental approach of the action plan to support rural communities and rural businesses is benefiting rural areas in...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The CSO report was interesting but the Deputy and I could have written it. We both live in rural Ireland and know the distances people have to travel to access services. This is why we built 18 health centres. We did so to make it easier for people to access services. I read the CSO report the other day. The situation in rural England or rural Spain is no different from the situation...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I know I am stepping into another Minister's area but I do not mind doing so. The reason for greater demand on services is that more people are living in rural Ireland. It is not me saying that. The Deputy cited the CSO figures, which also tell us that more people are living and working in rural Ireland. People are moving back to rural Ireland. Of course, we will have to improve...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes Funding (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 42 together. LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a budget of €250 million over the period 2014-2020.  €220 million of this funding was allocated to the 29 Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme in LEADER areas across the country.  The remaining €30 million was allocated for projects which are approved at...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas. It is funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities. Since I reintroduced the LIS in 2017, I have granted over €48 million to the Local Authorities to deliver the scheme.  This has resulted in over 2,000 road...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: There has been a strong level of  interest in the Town and Village Renewal Scheme since it was introduced in 2016. In 2018, I approved 224 projects under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, with 66 applications being unsuccessful. In 2019, 309 applications were received by my Department under the scheme, seeking funding of over €31 million.  The selection of projects was...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund Administration (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund seeks to support ambitious and strategic projects which have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. The Government has committed €1 billion over 10 years to the Fund and €315 million is allocated to the Fund for the period 2019-2022.   The first call for applications to the Fund closed in September...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Projects (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Pobal is a not for profit company that works on behalf of Government to support communities and local agencies toward achieving social inclusion outcomes.  Pobal does this by managing funding and providing supports for relevant Government funded programmes. Pobal established a temporary office in Mullingar during September 2019 and 17 staff are currently working from this location. ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Since I reintroduced the Local Improvement Scheme in September 2017, I have allocated over €48 million to the Local Authorities for improvement works on private and non-public roads, including €10 million for 2019. I have secured €10 million in funding under Budget 2020 to continue the scheme next year.  However, I also want to review the scheme to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Community Development Committees (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) were established in mid-2014 to bring about a more joined-up and integrated approach to local service planning and delivery. In August I approved a comprehensive review of the LCDCs which was underpinned by extensive consultation and highlighted the significant progress made since LCDCs were established.  The review also...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes Expenditure (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Total expenditure on the LEADER programme since it commenced - effectively in 2016 - amounts to over €75 million. This comprises: - €1.5 million in costs incurred by the LAGs to develop their Local Development Strategies. - €33.5 million in administration costs of the LAGs and the cost of their engagement with communities to generate...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Authority Facilities (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: My Department provides funding for facilities such as playgrounds through capital grants for the provision of playground infrastructure, including Multi Use Games Areas or MUGAs through schemes such as the Community Enhancement Programme and the CLÁR Programme. I understand also that the Department for Children and Youth Affairs administers a Capital Grant Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is part of a range of measures to support the revitalisation of rural Ireland under the Government’s Project Ireland 2040 Rural Regeneration and Development Programme.  Since 2016, €68 million has been allocated for more than 830 projects across the country under the scheme. The Local Authorities are already central to the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Enhancement Programme Funding (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I launched the new Community Enhancement Programme in May 2018.  The Programme builds on and replaces the Communities Facilities Scheme and the recast RAPID programme which operated in 2017. Its development followed a review of those two schemes, and consultation with the 33 LCDCs across the country.  Under the Programme, funding is allocated to each Local Authority area taking...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The Action Plan for Rural Development was published in January 2017 as a whole-of-Government initiative to support the economic and social progress of rural Ireland.  One of the objectives of the Action Plan is to support enterprise growth and job creation in rural areas.  The coordinated approach of the Action Plan is achieving benefits in terms of increased employment in the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: RAPID Programme (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Under the original RAPID programme, funding was ring-fenced for areas designated as RAPID.  The key difference with the new Community Enhancement Programmeis that funding is allocated to every Local Authority area, on the basis of population and the deprivation level in each area.   This is done using the Pobal...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Data (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Since I reintroduced the Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS,  in 2017, I have allocated over €48 million to the scheme, which has resulted in the approval of over 2,000 roads projects.  The LIS is funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities. The number and location of roads to benefit from improvement works under the scheme is a matter...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes Funding (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The LEADER programme is administered in County Meath by the Meath Local Action Group (LAG). The total amount of funding allocated to the county for the duration of the 2014-2020 LEADER Programme is in excess of €6.9 million. To date, 69 projects with a combined grant value of over €3.1 million have been approved by the LAG. A further 3 projects, seeking funding...