Results 4,401-4,420 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development Implementation (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is a key part of the Action Plan for Rural Development. The Plan contains over 270 actions across Government to help rural Ireland achieve its full economic and social potential. Since the launch of the Action Plan for Rural Development in January 2017, I have allocated €21.6 million to 281 projects throughout the country under the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: LEADER is a multi-annual programme for the period 2014-2020 which has a total budget of €250 million over the programming period.  LEADER is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG area.  Each LAG has been given a funding allocation for the duration of the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Brexit Issues (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Action Plan for Rural Development, which was published in January 2017, envisaged that a piece of research would be commissioned on the impact of Brexit on rural areas. However, in the time since the publication of the Action Plan, a number of papers and commentaries have been published on the potential impact of Brexit on Ireland, including rural Ireland and the Border...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Banking (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 62 together. The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to investigate a new model of community banking for Ireland, including an investigation of the German Sparkassen model for the development of local public banks that operate within well-defined regions. A project team comprising officials from my Department and the Department...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Recreation Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme provides funding for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the maintenance, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreational infrastructure. In 2017 the scheme facilitated the development of numerous greenways, blueways, walks and other trails across the country. A total of €13.6 million was allocated...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Departmental Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: In 2017, I made €812,000 available, on a once off basis, towards the running costs of Agricultural shows around the country, in recognition of the impact which bad weather had on those shows during the summer months. 120 shows each received funding of up to €7,000 through the Irish Shows Association. I also announced a once off funding scheme in November 2017 to mark the...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Dormant Accounts Fund Administration (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department commenced the process of preparing the 2018 Dormant Accounts Fund Action Plan in February.  In order to initiate the process, I wrote to Ministers in February requesting that their Departments identify potential projects or programmes which might be included in the Action Plan.  Following the receipt of initial proposals from other Departments and agencies, my...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes Applications (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: LEADER is a multi-annual EU co-funded programme to support rural development.  Ireland has an allocation of €250 million under the programme over the period 2014-2020, including both national and EU funding.  The programme is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Rural Development Programme Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: Under the National Development Plan, the Government has committed to providing €1 billion for a new Rural Regeneration and Development Fund over the period 2019 to 2027. The fund will provide the opportunity for co-funding of suitable investment projects in towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000, and outlying areas. The objective of the new Fund is to drive...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Regional Development Initiatives (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Programme for Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development both contain a commitment to progress the concept of an Atlantic Economic Corridor. The overarching objective of the Atlantic Economic Corridor proposal is to maximise the assets along the western seaboard and connect the economic hubs, clusters and catchments of the region to attract investment, support...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Telecommunications Services Provision (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Mobile Phone and Broadband Taskforce was established in July 2016 to examine broadband and mobile phone coverage deficits in Ireland and identify tangible actions to improve the quality of these services. The Taskforce Report was published in December 2016, and included 40 actions to alleviate barriers to mobile phone reception and broadband access. An Implementation Group was established...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: Funding for the LEADER Programme in my Department’s Vote provides for expenditure on project payments, administration costs of the Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme, costs associated with their engagement with communities to generate projects, and LEADER operational costs incurred directly by my Department. The original allocation for the LEADER programme in 2017...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Grant Payments (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: In Budget 2018, my Department secured in excess of €220million giving us the foundation we need to drive both the rural and community agenda and to deliver initiatives that can foster growth right across the country. My Department delivers a variety of schemes that provide support for the sustainable development of communities in line with commitments in the Programme for Partnership...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Action Plan for Rural Development Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department's Action Plan for Rural Development, Pillar 4, commits to Fostering Culture and Creativity in Rural Communities and sets the objectives of increasing access to the arts, further developing and enhancing culture and creativity in rural Ireland through the Creative Ireland programme. The Action Plan outlines 29 specific actions to be progressed to achieve these objectives. The...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Voluntary Sector Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 161, 162 and 165 together. My Department operates a number of funding programmes and schemes that are open to applications from relevant parties, including groups in the voluntary sector, who satisfy the relevant criteria during the application timeframes set for each scheme/programme. In 2017, capital grants were provided to such groups across the country...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Leader Programmes Administration (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The LEADER programme comes under my Department’s remit and is administered by Local Action Groups (LAGs) which deliver funding in accordance with Local Development Strategies that have been agreed for each LAG area. LEADER has a total budget of €250 million over the period 2014-2020. €220 million of this funding has already been allocated to the LAGs covering 28...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Community Development Initiatives (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department delivers a variety of schemes that provide support for the sustainable development of communities in line with commitments in, inter alia, the Programme for Partnership Government and the Action Plan for Rural Development.These schemes and programmes include flagship programmes such as the LEADER and the Social Inclusion and Community Activation (SICAP) Programmes, the Community...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Tidy Towns Committees Funding (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: 2018 is a very special year for the SuperValu TidyTowns Competition as it marks the 60th Anniversary of what has been a very successful Government initiative. The work done by the TidyTowns committees down through the years has played an important part in the improvement of the appearance of our villages, towns and cities around the country. To mark the 60thanniversary of the competition, I...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Town and Village Renewal Scheme (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: My Department's Town and Village Renewal Scheme has, since 2016, provided funding in excess of €31 million to over 450 projects in rural towns and villages throughout the country. Funding under this scheme has been provided for tourism initiatives and works in and around historic sites in collaboration with the Heritage Council and other agencies. Last week I announced a further round...

Written Answers — Department of Rural and Community Development: Charities Regulation (2 May 2018)

Michael Ring: The Charities Regulatory Authority was established in October 2014 pursuant to the Charities Act 2009. The Authority is the State organisation responsible for registering and regulating all of Ireland’s charities. Its role is to provide effective and robust regulation in accordance with the 2009 Act. My Department has been assigned overall policy responsibility for the Charities...