Results 981-1,000 of 16,746 for speaker:Dara Calleary

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a key support to rural communities in improving non-public rural roads and laneways that are not typically maintained by local authorities. Since its reintroduction in 2017, the Government has provided almost €170 million to local authorities under the Scheme. Under the terms of the Scheme, eligible road projects are those that involve the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The information requested by the Deputy, in relation to procurement competitions undertaken by my Department since 2019 that did not result in a contract award due to the reasons listed, is provided in the table below. Given the relatively small level of procurement undertaken directly by my Department, and the low number of procurement competitions over the time period in question which...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Public Private Partnerships (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Given the nature of the projects funded by my Department, the Public Private Partnership model is not utilised.

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I can confirm that my Department has not procured services from the company in question. There are eight agencies under the remit of my Department,: Pobal, Western Development Commission, Charities Regulatory Authority, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency. These agencies are independent...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Town and Village Renewal Scheme (TVRS) was introduced in 2016 and is one of a number of measures designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. TVRS is administered through local authorities, who work closely with local communities and businesses to develop proposals that will bring long-lasting, positive impacts to rural towns and villages. The 2025 Town and...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Programmes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The original RAPID programme ran from 2001 and closed to new applications in 2011. A recast programme was launched in 2017 and following a review, RAPID was replaced by the Community Enhancement Programme (CEP) in 2018. The CEP is now known as the Local Enhancement Programme (LEP).  RAPID relaunched in 2017 and the funding allocation was €5 million for that year. Each Local...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Programmes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The CLÁR Programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of depopulation over a defined period. The attached table outlines the funding granted through each local authority between the scheme's reintoroduction in 2016 and 2024. These figures include projects...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Since its establishment in 2022, the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) has provided approximately €110 million for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Over €45.8 million was approved for some 861 community centres nationwide under CCIF 2022. In early 2024, funding of over €30 million was approved...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Under the CRF 2023 and 2024 a total of €100 million in funding has been allocated to local authorities to be made available to communities across Ireland. Over 1,400 projects that have been awarded funding under the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Programmes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The current LEADER Programme, which runs to 2027, is operational across the country. It supports a broad range of enterprises and community groups to develop projects which improve the quality of life and economic activity in rural areas. It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland, facilitating a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development. The LEADER...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports improving non-public rural roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its establishment in 2017, almost €170 million has been provided by the Government to local authorities for LIS. While the Department provides funding for the scheme, it is administered by local authorities who hold responsibility for...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways, water-based recreation sites and mountain trails. Since 2016, funding of over €129 million has been approved for over 1,700 projects nationwide. The table attached provides detail on the amount of funding...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 622 and 607 together. The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major capital investment programme which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The objective of the Fund, which was launched in 2018, is to support coordinated and integrated projects between...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (17 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department's Walks Scheme was launched in 2008. The Walks Scheme contracts land-holders to undertake maintenance work on national waymarked ways and other priority trails that traverse their lands. The landholders receive modest payments for maintenance work undertaken in line with agreed work plans. Following my announcement in May 2025, which saw an additional 22 trails added to the...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Weather Events (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is the lead Department for severe weather emergencies. My Department has an important role to play in assisting households in the immediate aftermath of emergency weather events under the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme. The purpose of the Humanitarian Assistance Scheme is to provide financial support to people whose homes are damaged...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Public Sector Staff (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The figures below represent permanent staff of Galway Intreo Centres at 3rd June 2025. This does not include staff from other business areas based in the building. Intreo Centre and Grade Number of Staff WTE Clifden Intreo Centre Clerical Officer 3 3 Executive Officer ...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is a service of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. The number of appeals on hand in relation to Insurability is 56. Appeals originating from decisions of the Department’s...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: There are a small number of Insurability appeals on hand in relation to State and semi-State body pensions. Given the small numbers, it is not possible to given any further details as there is a danger that the appellants could be individually identified. Appeals originating from decisions of the Department’s Scope section are generally considered the most complex type of appeal...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Insurance (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is a service of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. There are a small number of appeals currently on hand in relation to Insurability with regard to a dispute over the modified rate...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Social Welfare Benefits (16 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Social Welfare Appeals Office is a service of the Department of Social Protection which is responsible for determining appeals against decisions in relation to social welfare entitlements. Appeals Officers are independent in their decision making functions. I am advised by the Social Welfare Appeals Office that an Appeals Officer, having fully considered all of the available evidence,...