Results 3,921-3,940 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42- Department of Rural and Community Development (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: I compliment the committee members as I feel as passionately about community as they do. As to allocations, this year alone our Department is spending €133 million on community, which is very important. The Department and I take the SICAP and all of the community programmes very seriously. There is no such thing as rural or urban poverty. It is everywhere. I have a role which I do...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 42- Department of Rural and Community Development (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The Minister of State will have responsibility for the dormant accounts. He has a lot to deal with, and if he deals will those matters, he will be kept busy.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: Six rural towns were included in a pilot initiative which I announced last week to look at how we can increase the number of people living in town centres. Earlier this year, a Steering Group chaired by my Department was established to examine what would be the most effective way to encourage increased residential occupancy in our rural towns and villages. A lot of consideration has...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (17 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: Since the establishment of my Department on the 19 July 2017 our payment records indicate that the organisations in the following table received funding from my Department. However, I wish to clarify that if some applicants used a company name, they might not be identified as connected with a religious organisation and therefore are not included in the list. I must emphasise that all my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (16 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (previously known as the Rural Recreation Scheme) provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance and promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural Ireland. A total of €13.6 million was allocated to 251 projects under the 2017 scheme. I launched the 2018 Outdoor...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff Data (16 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017. I can confirm that the Department held one internal Principal Officer competition in early 2018. Two staff members have been appointed to Principal Officer positions arising from this competition.

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Staff Data (16 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The Department of Rural and Community Development was established in July 2017. Since the establishment of the Department, one Principal Officer has been appointed from the 2015 open competition; that appointment was made in 2017. Two Principal Officers were appointed from the 2017 open competition, one was appointed in 2017 and one was appointed in 2018. See the following completed Table...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Schemes (16 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department has no dedicated scheme which specifically funds benches at key vantage points in rural areas. This would generally be a matter for the Local Authorities. However, my Department runs a number of schemes which may include the provision of public seating as part of a larger project. For example, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (16 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: CLÁR provides funding for small scale capital projects in specified rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation. As part of the 2018 CLÁR programme, I allocated €1.5 million to a Mobility and Cancer Care Transport Measure to support the purchase of vehicles by voluntary organisations in CLÁR areas that provide transport services to people for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Industrial Disputes (16 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports more than 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and/or an agreed number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. While the CSP provides a contribution to the cost of FTE positions in the organisation in question, the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (16 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched in April of this year and Local Authorities were invited to submit up to 12 applications each for consideration by my Department. There was a strong level of interest in the scheme and 290 applications in total were received for funding of almost €28 million. The selection of projects under the Scheme was by means of a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (11 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together. My Department does not appear to have receive any applications from Kildare County Council in conjunction with the group referred to by the Deputy under the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Scheme or the Town and Village Renewal Scheme for the years 2016, 2017 or 2018. However, if the Deputy wishes to provide additional information...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: I want to allow my colleagues to speak.

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: I beg the House's pardon. I want my colleagues to get their time.

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: It is a great pleasure to contribute to the debate on the budget. I compliment the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, on the budget. It is very balanced and fair and is targeted at the people who need most help and also at the areas of housing and health, both of which will receive substantial funding. I am glad to welcome my colleagues, the Minister of State at the Department of...

Financial Resolutions 2019 - Financial Resolution No. 4: General (Resumed) (10 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: I did not interrupt the Deputy. He also mentioned my Department and welcomed some of the schemes we have put in place. He has given me an opportunity to put information relating to those schemes on record. Many people complain about the LEADER programme, but 1,300 projects have already been approved under it, to the value of €43.4 million, including a further €5.6 million in...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (10 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in predominantly rural areas. The scheme is funded by my Department and administered through the Local Authorities. Following on from the successful re-launch of the scheme in 2017, I announced details of the 2018 Local Improvement Scheme on 27th February last. I allocated an...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme (9 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports more than 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Funding is provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. More than €46 million is available to support community organisations under the programme in 2018. My...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes (9 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: Funding under the LEADER Programme is targeted at innovative approaches to addressing the needs of rural areas as identified in the Local Development Strategies prepared for each sub-regional area. The funding can be provided under a broad range of themes, including enterprise development and social inclusion. It is important, however, to ensure that the available funding is targeted at...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (9 Oct 2018)

Michael Ring: The National Development Plan provides for an allocation of €1 billion for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund to enable towns, villages and outlying rural areas to grow sustainably and support delivery of the strategic objectives of the National Planning Framework. The Fund will be a key driver in supporting the revitalisation of rural Ireland, delivering a significant and...