Results 3,181-3,200 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Comhairle na Tuaithe (13 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: Outdoor recreation has become increasingly popular as a means of social engagement, of enhancing physical and mental well-being, and of supporting tourism and rural economic development.  The continued growth and potential of the sector is reflected in the level of investment in outdoor recreation infrastructure by Government Departments, State Agencies and Local Authorities in recent...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Liability Insurance (13 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: As the Deputy will be aware, my officials have been working to develop a national scheme to protect private landowners in upland areas from possible claims from recreational users while on their lands. My Department has been advised that the introduction of any such indemnity scheme will require legislation. My officials met with the Attorney General's Office recently to...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (12 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: In 2019 my Department is providing €6.5m for the Dublin North East Inner City area.  This supports the social and economic regeneration of an area at the heart of our capital city.  It will benefit not only the local community but the city as a whole. The funding underlines the Government’s commitment to ensuring that the recommendations of the Mulvey Report are...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (11 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: In order to provide the data requested, given the volume involved, I am arranging for the total funding allocated by county and details of individual allocations in each county, since the establishment of my Department in 2017 to date, to be forwarded to the Deputy separately. 

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (11 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. Since I relaunched the programme in 2016, more than 1,200 projects have been approved funding of almost €27 million. I launched the 2019 CLÁR programme on 28 February last, with an indicative allocation...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme (11 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports around 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model, with funding provided as a fixed annual contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.  Some €46m is available under the programme in 2019.  The organisation in question...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Development Companies Funding (11 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: I refer to the reply to question No. 278 of 18 April 2019 which provided information on the amounts allocated to each local authority area for the schemes and years referenced.  The 2017 and 2018 amounts have issued from this Department to the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) that administer the schemes. The 2019 amounts will issue during quarter 3 of...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (11 Jun 2019)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 853 to 855, inclusive, together. In December 2017, I first announced an allocation of funding of €812,000 to the Irish Shows Association to support almost 120 agricultural shows around the country which were due to take place in 2018. This was intended to be a once-off payment, in recognition of the difficulties which many shows had experienced in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Expenditure (30 May 2019)

Michael Ring: The Further Revised Estimates for 2019 in respect of the Department of Rural and Community Development provides for gross capital expenditure of €138 million. There was no capital funding carried forward from 2018. €22.2 million of my Department's capital allocation has been spent to date which represents 96% of profiled expenditure. I have set out expenditure to date in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Development Policy (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy again for raising this issue. The rural roadshows were undoubtedly a great success. They brought together people who drew down funding from LEADER and various Government schemes. Community activists attended and explained how the schemes worked. We also sent the Helping Hands roadshow around the country. I think Deputy Calleary was at the event in Ballina that was...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Development Policy (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: We did take feedback. Sometimes when one listens to national media, one hears about what is going on in rural Ireland. It is a pity that some of the media did not come out to see what is actually happening on the ground. I visited the Leas-Cheann Comhairle's county, Donegal. The enthusiasm that was there and the number of people who turned up was remarkable. I visited Deputy Carey's...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Development Policy (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: Reference was made there to more money. We could not give Deputy Danny Healy-Rae any more money. His machines are going 24 hours a day, they are not able to go any more than that.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 40 and 46 together. 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 ten years to the fund and €315 million is allocated to the fund for the period 2019-2022. The first call for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputies. In response to Deputy Calleary, contractual agreements are entered into in respect of these schemes and timeframes are set out. The latter include milestones for when funding can be drawn down in the major schemes. I hope that no local authority made an application without having matching funding ready. Under the contracts, the work must be done. These are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: I have dealt with some local authorities which had led council members to believe that projects were shovel ready when they were not. Anything that was shovel ready was considered. Deputy Carey is quite correct that this is a great scheme. The funding is €1 billion over ten years and €315 million between 2019 and 2022. This scheme is going to work. These are major...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Men's Sheds (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: There are 400 men's sheds around the country and the Deputy is correct to say that it has been a fabulous organisation, which has taken off and is working. Instead of dying away after starting off, it has got stronger and stronger. I have had a number of meetings with men's sheds and my Department is looking at the applications from the national organisation. Many applications have been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: After the last questions relating to social enterprise, I sent a copy to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: With reference to the Deputy's previous parliamentary question of 8 November 2018, a report on the LCDC review is being drafted by my Department with guidance and input from the LCDC review steering group and it is at an advanced stage.  The aim of the report is to provide a set of practical recommendations that address the challenges identified in the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: My officials and I are having robust negotiations with local authorities, which will deliver the scheme. I want to get it right and, as with the social report we did recently, I want to ensure we learn from the past number of years. I am very confident that I will get the report but I do not want to talk about what will be in it or out of it. I want it to be robust and I want everybody to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Local and Community Development Programme (29 May 2019)

Michael Ring: A steering group in my Department is dealing with this. I guarantee that, when I go back today, I will ensure this group gets the report to me immediately. As soon as I get the report, I want to publish it. I guarantee that it will be published. The Deputy is right that this has gone on too long so I will start to put the pressure on now to make sure it is published. I want to make sure...