Results 3,261-3,280 of 4,403 for speaker:Claire Kerrane

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: I hope we see the report from that interdepartmental group before the end of the year. I hope we see moves being made to hire these town centre officers and to put them in place in our local authorities across our rural counties to ensure that the town centre first approach works and is driven on by our local authorities in those local areas.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: 92. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if progress has been made as part of the town centre first approach to provide and resource dedicated staff within local authorities to support town centre renewal, as committed to in Our Rural Future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38459/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: Reference has already been made to the subject matter of this question. Has progress been made to provide and resource dedicated staff within local authorities to support town centre renewal, as committed to in Our Rural Future?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister for her response. This is a good initiative and it will drive the town centre approach in a collaborative way. There is a real need for staff to be placed in local authorities. I presume the Minister is considering one such town centre officer per local authority. They will have a crucial role to play in developing rural town centres, many of which need a dedicated...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: 93. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to introduce new supports and incentives for the refurbishment of vacant properties to increase town centre living, following on from the pilot town centre living initiative; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38461/21]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: A pilot was done under the town centre living initiative and 15 suggested actions came out of it. Have those suggested actions been reviewed by the Minister's Department? One of them was to appoint town centre officers, perhaps in local authorities, who would assist property owners. We know there have been issues in this area and the pilot report also acknowledged legal issues in regard to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Vacant Properties (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: I welcome that an interdepartmental group has been established. I look forward to the Minister outlining the four pillars of action to which she referred.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Development (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: 87. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if progress has been made on establishing a community ownership fund to help communities groups purchase or take over local community assets for community use; if potential State-owned properties in rural towns and villages have been identified, as committed to in Our Rural Future; and if she will make a statement on the matter....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Development (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: This question asks the Minister about progress on a number of commitments in Our Rural Future. One is the establishment of a community ownership fund to help community groups purchase or take over local community assets for community use. It also asks if potential State-owned properties in rural towns and villages have been identified to date.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Development (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: Will the Minister outline how she envisages the community ownership fund will work? I appreciate it is in the work programme for 2022. I speak in relation to vacant buildings in the possession of the likes of the Office of Public Works, OPW. There are 75 of them in the State that are currently vacant and many of them are former Garda stations. Some will be auctioned off this month....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Regional Development (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: The list of 75 vacant properties in the possession of the OPW went to the Department. Has the Minister had any engagement with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, or the OPW on the use of those properties for community purposes in rural towns and villages? Some of them are going up for auction this month. That is regrettable, especially if some level of engagement between the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Men's Sheds (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: As the Minister of State knows, a stream of funding under that very community enhancement programme was in place, which was extended to women's sheds in 2019. That funding has not been in place since. I am not speaking about the community enhancement programme, which I acknowledge the Minister of State referenced and is in place, but the direct stream of funding for men's sheds under that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Men's Sheds (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: The vital work that men's sheds and the support they offer, especially in remote and rural areas, is very important. It will be even more important now as we emerge from the Covid pandemic. I had the pleasure of visiting the men's shed in Ballaghaderreen last week, which is a really wonderful support for men in the town and outside it. It is replicated in 460 sheds throughout the State. I...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: 80. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will increase funding to the local improvement scheme to meet demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38936/21]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: Events have now superseded this question. It was to ask the Minister about increasing funding for the local improvement scheme, LIS. I welcome the recent announcement that funding for this year will be doubled. This provides the Minister with an opportunity to tell us more about that doubling of investment.

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: I thank the Minister for her reply. I welcome that new investment and increase in funding for the local improvement scheme because it is a vital scheme for access to homes and farms in rural areas via rural roads and laneways. A colleague in this House asked for the numbers of local authorities that had a waiting list until now but those figures were not available. Galway County Council...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Departmental Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: Does the Minister know what the backlog is? She is doubling investment in the scheme. Galway County Council had 241 valid applications and 213 could not be moved. Will Galway County Council be able to cover those projects with this new funding? I welcome what the Minister said about matched funding. She has engaged with the Minister, Deputy Ryan, which is welcome. Does she see that...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Men's Sheds (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: 82. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will examine the possibility of establishing a funding stream under her Department for an organisation (details supplied) which is a lifeline for persons especially in rural communities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38937/21]

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Men's Sheds (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: I ask the Minister if she will examine re-introducing a funding stream in her Department for men's sheds across the State. There is a wonderful, growing organisation, but it is struggling since it does not have a funding stream. It applies for funding here, there and everywhere. Sometimes it gets funding and sometimes it does not. It would be great to see a definite and direct funding...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Schemes (15 Jul 2021)

Claire Kerrane: 110. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of engagement she has had with other Departments to progress other areas of priority as outlined in Our Rural Future which do not come under her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38462/21]