Results 4,581-4,600 of 15,805 for speaker:Michael Ring

Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I want to tell the Deputy something. He knows who was Minister of State. I have reopened all the schemes he closed down when he was Minister.

Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I know Deputy Ó Cuív was happy with that. I reintroduced all the schemes that Deputy Ó Cuív and the Government of which he was a member closed down. I used the term "shortly" in my reply. I have set out a deadline for the local authorities. I have written to them. I have set out a schedule for when the applications will come in, when they will be dealt with and...

Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: That is correct - and a good one he was.

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I do not talk raiméis, unlike the Deputy across the way, and I want to put that on the record as well. The schemes I will roll out include the CLÁR programme, the rural recreation scheme, the town and village scheme and the local improvement scheme. Deputy Ó Cuív is the very man who doubted me in the context of my budget. He kept criticising the budget. Why can he...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: The Deputy knows the plan was published on Friday last. He knows we got €1 billion extra for rural development over the next ten years.

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: The Minister for Finance and I will sit down together in the coming weeks. The existing schemes are all staying. I will be looking at opening new schemes and programmes. We intend to have the announcement ready for July. Deputy Ó Cuív knows the announcement was made on Friday - he was a Minister for long enough. He cannot expect me to have the plans drawn up and ready to go to...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: For the first round of the CLÁR programme, I will use the existing rules and schemes from last year. However, I will look at the extra funding. I am looking now at new schemes now that I know I have a budget for next year, the year after and the year after that. Now, I will be able to put these schemes in place. Deputy Ó Cuív should give me a little time to sit down with...

Other Questions: Seniors Alert Scheme (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I propose to take Questions Nos. 32 and 38 together. I thank the Deputies for posing these questions. I launched a new seniors alert scheme that took effect on 1 November 2017. A successful nationwide public awareness campaign aimed at older people and their extended families and friends who may not have been aware of the scheme was rolled out. The key features of the new scheme...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: That was one of the reasons we set up the Local Link service with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport last year. It enables people to at least come in and pick up their pension on a Friday. It allows them come into their town to shop. It is a very serious problem that affects society when people are busy and do not have the time to help others. I will speak to representatives...

Other Questions: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy for his question. The local improvement scheme, LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private and non-public roads and it has been funded in the past by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government and by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Funding for the LIS was limited in recent years due to constraints on the public...

Other Questions: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputies for raising the matter. As I stated, this was under the Departments responsible for transport and the environment previously. I can see all the rural Deputies in the House and this is a very important scheme for rural Ireland. I looked at it because I want to do something and I come from a rural county. I listen to people on a daily basis. The Deputies made their...

Other Questions: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I would not like the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, to fall out with me. I would like him to do his job with the rural roads. He has made an allocation for roads this year and it has been increased.

Other Questions: Local Improvement Scheme Funding (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I have dealt with LIS roads and provided funding. There was €17.4 million expended last year and €10 million will be allocated this year. The Deputy has made the correct point that the scheme will be open and local authorities know it will be there for the next number of years. With the increasing budgets over the next number of years, I will be able to put further...

Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: The Department implements a suite of measures aimed at providing direct financial support for the sustainable development of rural areas. These programmes were highlighted in the Action Plan for Rural Development, which focused on supporting sustainable communities, enterprises, employment and creativity while maximising our rural tourism and recreation potential and improving rural...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Policy (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: The Deputy referred to funding for Donegal, which received the third highest amount of funding from my Department in 2017. That was over €8.6 million more than my county received. The local improvement scheme, LIS, was allocated €3.3 million, CLÁR was allocated €589,000 and the town and village renewal scheme was allocated €1.15 million. These are the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Policy (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: Deputy Pringle sees the glass as half empty but I see it as half full. He does not like the facts. The Government has put substantial funding into Donegal and has tried to create jobs and keep people living in Donegal. I provided figures for some of the schemes for which I have responsibility. Many other Ministers have responsibility for other schemes. Donegal has a very bright...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: The Government's Action Plan for Rural Development includes a range of measures which will contribute significantly to addressing isolation and social inclusion in rural areas. Specific examples of actions in the plan that will help those who feel isolated or vulnerable in rural areas include significant investment in the seniors alert scheme, which facilitates valuable community-based...

Other Questions: Action Plan for Rural Development (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: The Deputy has identified a very serious problem and one which my Department is examining. That is why I established the senior alert scheme with funding of €2.7 million. The UK recently appointed a Minister for loneliness, which shows that this is not just an Irish but also a European problem. The Deputy is quite correct. That is why we have active retirement groups, men's sheds,...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: Rural Development Policy (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: I thank the Deputy for the question. The Government has made clear its support for rural areas in Project Ireland 2040, which was launched last week. The overarching objective of the national planning framework, which is one of the strands of Project Ireland, is to ensure the population growth and economic growth that will take place up to 2040 will be shared more evenly across the...

Ceisteanna - Questions - Priority Questions: CLÁR Programme (21 Feb 2018)

Michael Ring: There is a separate scheme for the big towns worth €2 billion. I will set out the priorities of my Department in the coming weeks. I will announce schemes and I will look at new schemes as part of the CLÁR programme. Deputy Ó Cuív asked a question about the CLÁR programme. The programme has worked very well. In my county a number of rural areas are delighted...