Results 2,761-2,780 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

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

Michael Ring: My Department's budget for library related expenditure for 2020 is c. €8.15m. This will fund public library infrastructure and services with a focus on fit-for-purpose buildings, ICT capacity and supports for marginalised, socially excluded and disadvantaged communities, in line with the actions under the Public Library Strategy Our Public Libraries 2022 - Inspiring, Connecting, and...

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

Michael Ring: My Department provides funding for a range of rural schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, CLÁR, the Walks Scheme and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund. Each scheme has specific aims and objectives and collectively they fund a wide range of projects from small scale local improvement projects to high value...

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

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 and 371 together. I am satisfied that through the various funding supports and policies being developed and implemented that my Department is delivering positive outcomes for communities throughout Ireland and County Kildare. In addition, my Department is committed to keeping under review the administration of all funding programmes to ensure they...

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

Michael Ring: There are a number of programmes within my Department's remit that may be able to provide assistance for the type of activity referred to by the Deputy. Under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Government has committed €1 billion over 10 years to support capital projects which seek to deliver key outcomes, amongst which are sustainable community and economic...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Central Statistics Office Reports (5 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The CSO recently published a statistical report on "Measuring Distance to Everyday Services in Ireland" which provides useful insights into how close people live to everyday facilities such as schools, hospitals, fire stations, and public transport stops. The report shows that the average distance to most everyday services was at least three times longer for rural dwellings compared to...

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

Michael Ring: My Department delivers a variety of programmes that provide grant aid to community groups and organisations. The application periods for these programmes vary and full details of all relevant dates and deadlines can be found on the Government of Ireland website, gov.ie. Funding announcements are made following the processing and evaluation of applications in accordance with the criteria set...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rural Development Policy (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I thank Deputy Harty for the spirit in which he raised this matter. I work across Government with all Ministers and have to make sure that all legislation and everything that happens at Cabinet is rural-proofed. The Deputy raised a valid point. I have to speak to the Department of Finance, the Minister for Finance, Deputy Paschal Donohoe, and the Government. We set up a pilot scheme for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rural Development Policy (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: We appreciate the voluntary work that is done and the services provided in rural Ireland by voluntary groups. Without them, there would not be many of the services. The Deputy's question was general but he also focused on Newmarket-on-Fergus, which is fine. There is no doubting the challenges faced by rural towns and villages, especially in the face of a changing retail environment and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Consultation Process (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I have provided the information requested by the Deputy in the following table. Name of consultation Date in 2018 Date in 2019 County Public Consultation on a review of measures relating to the control of dogs in Ireland N/A 1 July 2019 to 6 September 2019 National National Volunteering Strategy Call For...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Social enterprises are businesses which trade on an ongoing basis for a social, societal or environmental purpose. They provide vital goods and services in communities throughout the country and contribute to the delivery of many Government policy objectives in areas such as employment activation, affordable childcare, and the green economy. However, there is limited evidence and data...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Legislative Process (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: My Department has no Bills awaiting committee stage at this time.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The details requested by the Deputy are set out in the tables below. As my Department was established on 19th July 2017, the information provided includes expenditure by my Department from the remainder of 2017, 2018 and to date in 2019. All photography services are secured in accordance with Office of Government Procurement procedures. 2019 Photography Costs (to date) ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Freedom of Information Data (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: My Department was established on 19 July 2017 and has received the following FOI requests since that date: Year 2017 2018 2019 (at 02/12/2019) Total received 14 58 76 Granted 4 14 24 Part-Granted 3 12 6 Refused 2 14 ...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: Since I reintroduced the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) in 2017, I have allocated over €48 million to improvement works on more than 2,000 non-public roads throughout rural Ireland. The LIS is funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities. Co-funding is required for each project in the form of a local contribution from householders/landowners. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Data (4 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities. The number and location of road projects to benefit from improvement works is a matter for the relevant Local Authority. The following table outlines the number of LIS road projects approved by the Local Authorities, by county, in 2018 and 2019. My Department does not hold records of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (3 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 549 and 552 together. My Department is currently working on the Deputy's request. Any material identified will be forwarded to the Deputy when that process is complete.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (3 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme forms part of the Government's Project Ireland 2040 Rural Regeneration Programme and is part of a package of measures to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. The Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched in the second half of 2016, and since then, over 830 projects have been approved for funding of €68 million, including 156...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Reports (3 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: My Department was established on 19 July 2017. I have listed in the table below the external consultants commissioned to undertake work on behalf of my Department from that date. In most cases the reports/material produced were for internal or stakeholder use only, and not for external publication with the exceptions of the report on a review of the Community Services Programme, the User...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Legislative Measures (3 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: My Department was established on 19 July 2017. I can confirm no Bills have been sponsored or enacted since the Department was established.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: LEADER Programmes Funding (3 Dec 2019)

Michael Ring: LEADER is a multi-annual programme with a total budget of €250 million over the period 2014-2020. €225 million of this funding has been allocated to the Local Action Groups (LAGs) throughout the country who deliver the LEADER programme. This allocation includes both core project funding and administration and animation costs for the LAGs. The remaining €25 million in the...