Results 4,201-4,220 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Freedom of Information Data (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department has received a total of 30 requests under the Freedom of Information Act in 2018 as of 11 June. Eight of these requests are currently being processed by my Department. Of the remaining 22 requests, 13 were part-granted or granted in full, six were refused and three were withdrawn. Two decisions were appealed for review, with one decision upheld and one varied. There have been no...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 219 and 220 together. The Department of Rural and Community Development was established last year to deliver on the Government’s commitment to bring a greater degree of coordination and cohesion to all of the work of Government in so far as it impacts on rural Ireland and on communities in regions throughout the country. My Department delivers a variety...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221 and 223 together. My Department operates a number of funding programmes and schemes that are open to applications from eligible parties across a range of sectors. All are designed to assist rural and urban communities in need. The new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) launched in January 2018 will run for a five-year period until...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 226 together. My Department funds a range of programmes and schemes that provide financial assistance to eligible voluntary or statutory bodies throughout the country. These schemes provide much needed assistance to urban and rural communities in need. These include the LEADER and CLÁR programmes; the recently launched Community Enhancement...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Strategy Statements (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The Mission Statement of my Department, as set out in its Statement of Strategy published at the beginning of 2018, is: “To promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland”. The Department of Rural and Community Development was established last year to facilitate the achievement of this mission through: -...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seniors Alert Scheme (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme towards the purchase by a registered community-based organisation of a...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services Provision (14 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The management and operation of the public libraries, including funding of library services, is primarily a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. Some €150m is expected to be invested by local authorities in library services in 2018. My Department funds a Libraries Capital Investment Programme, announced in 2016,...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme Funding (13 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports some 400 community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model, with funding provided as a contribution to the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions. The organisation concerned submitted a business plan to Pobal in March 2017 as part of the normal CSP Re-Contracting...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charities Regulation (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: While the Charities Regulatory Authority (the ‘Charities Regulator’) operates under the aegis of the Department of Rural and Community Development, Section 14(3) of the Charities Act 2009, provides that the Charities Regulator is independent in the performance of its statutory functions. My Department has no function in the investigation of potential breaches of the Charities...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charities Regulation (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The appointment process for members of the Board of the Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA) is set out in the Charities Act, 2009. Schedule 1, section 2(1) of the Act states that the Authority shall consist of not less than nine and not greater than twenty members. At present, there are 13 appointed members on the Board. In accordance with Section 2(2) of schedule 1, all of the current...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Library Services (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The provision and management of public library services is primarily a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority under the Local Government Act 2001. This includes the purchase of public library book-stock which, in 2016, was subject to a national tender run by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) on behalf of the 31 local authorities. The LGMA had...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Social Enterprise Sector (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: Legislation is currently being drafted to give effect to the Government decision in December 2017 to alter the boundary between Cork City and Cork County. Each Government Department including my own is considering the possible implications of the boundary alteration in relation to matters within their areas of responsibility, including relevant schemes or programmes. The Social Inclusion...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Western Development Commission Funding (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The Western Development Commission (WDC) was established on a statutory footing in 1999 under the Western Development Commission Act, 1998. The main aim of the Commission is to promote, foster and encourage economic and social development in the Western Region, covering counties Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway and Clare. The WDC plays an important part in the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1163 to 1176, inclusive, together. CLÁR is a targeted capital investment programme for rural areas which have experienced significant levels of depopulation. I launched the 2018 CLÁR programme on the 15th of March last, with an indicative allocation of €5 million for qualifying projects under the following measures: Measure 1: Support for...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Seniors Alert Scheme (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The number of approved participants under the Seniors Alert Scheme since the scheme's inception in September 2015 for the counties in question are: Galway: 2,222 Roscommon: 446 Following the launch of a new Scheme which took effect on 1 November 2017, my Department conducted a very successful nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at older people, their extended families and friends who...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Services Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The Community Services Programme (CSP) supports community organisations to provide local services through a social enterprise model. Around 400 organisations are supported under the CSP, with funding provided as a contribution towards the cost of a manager and an agreed number of full-time equivalent positions. The organisation in question submitted a business plan to Pobal during 2016...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Programme for Government Implementation (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: The Government recently approved its second Programme for a Partnership Government annual report which provides a comprehensive update on progress since May 2017. The report will be laid before the Oireachtas in the near future. It highlights progress on the specific plans put in place to tackle issues, in the short and longer terms. My Department has provided updates on the status...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Public Participation Networks (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: Since 2015, funding of up to €50,000 per annum has been made available by my Department in respect of each Public Participation Network (PPN), provided this was supplemented by a minimum of €30,000 per annum from each local authority's own resources. This funding is used to meet the cost of a PPN Resource Worker and on-going operational costs such as office accommodation and...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tourism Project Funding (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: LEADER is a multi-annual programme covering the period 2014-2020. It is co-funded by the EU and funding is delivered through Local Action Groups in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country. Funding under LEADER is available for a range of defined themes, which include enterprise development and job creation, social inclusion, and the environment. The Economic...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: CLÁR Programme (12 Jun 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1182 and 1185 together. CLÁR is a targeted capital investment programme for rural areas which have experienced significant levels of depopulation. I launched the 2018 CLÁR programme on 15th March last, with an indicative allocation of €5 million for qualifying projects under the following measures: Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community...