Results 1-20 of 9,365 for speaker:Dara Calleary in 'Written Answers'

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The LEADER programme has been at the heart of rural development in Ireland for over 30 years. It plays an important role in supporting local projects that bring renewed life, jobs and services to our rural communities, including those in West Cork. As the Deputy will be aware, €180 million has been committed to the current 2023-2027 LEADER programme. When taken together with the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Recreation Policy (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, or ORIS, is funded by my Department as part of the Rural Development Investment Programme. It is an important contributor to “Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors”, our national outdoor recreation strategy. The scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Harbours and Piers (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: As the Deputy is aware, Galway County Council is the sponsoring agency and the contracting authority for the development of Inis Oírr pier. The Final Business Case for the pier development was submitted by Galway County Council to my Department at the end of March, seeking permission to award a contract to proceed with the project. This is a substantial proposal, not only for the...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Priorities (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: In line with Government priorities set out in policies such as Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First Policy, my Department implements a range of support schemes aimed at improving the sustainability and vitality of our rural towns and villages. These schemes are delivered under the banner of our Rural Development Investment Programme, and have seen record levels of investment in our...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The CLÁR Programme is an important funding stream for some of our most rural areas and, in recent years, has funded a vast array of community amenities such as community centres, sporting facilities, playgrounds, sensory gardens and walking trails. It has also been a vital source of funding for vehicles used to transport people with disabilities and to allow people access vital cancer...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department is committed to supporting the work of community and voluntary organisations, and supporting community centres across the country, through a range of funding initiatives. With regard to County Louth, my Department has allocated over €6 million in funding to the County since the start of the year. My Departments capital schemes are of particular importance in this...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: An Coimisinéir Teanga (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I welcome An Coimisinéir’s Annual Report and commend the excellent work carried out by his office in monitoring compliance with the Official Language Acts. The report demonstrates the significant progress that has been made to date, particularly in terms of advertising and the visibility of the Irish language in the media, and the number of public bodies that seek advice from that...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Island Communities (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Our Rural Future recognises the opportunity for rural rejuvenation that remote working presents and commits to establishing a comprehensive and integrated national network of 400 remote working hubs by the end of 2025. There are currently 387 remote and co-working facilities across the country on-boarded to the platform, including four on offshore islands. Details of all the onboarded hubs...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: While An Coimisinéir Teanga has identified some gaps in the provision of Irish language public services in his 2024 Annual Report, I am encouraged that much of the work currently being undertaken by my department under the Act will look to directly address most of these. The primary mechanism in addressing staff shortages is of course the Act’s overarching 20% recruitment...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Community Development Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Since its establishment in 2022, the Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) has provided approximately €110 million for refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Over €45.8 million was approved for the refurbishment of 861 community centres under CCIF 2022. To date over €43.6 million has been drawn down in respect of these...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Regeneration Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Our Rural Future, Ireland's Rural Development Policy 2021 – 2025, presents the Irish Government’s blueprint for the sustainable development of rural Ireland. It sets out a vision for a thriving rural Ireland, and establishes a strategic framework for the delivery of capital investment under my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. Town centre regeneration is a key...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Regeneration Projects (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 132 together. Launched in 2022, the Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. The policy supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland which is integral to our national economic, social, cultural and environmental...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not typically maintained by local authorities. Between 2020 and 2025, the government provided over €121.6 million to local authorities for LIS. The below table provides details of the funding amounts allocated to LIS for the years 2020 – 2025. Local Improvement Scheme Funding...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Disadvantaged Status (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: As the deputy has correctly stated, my Department funds the DEIS Gaeltachta scholarship scheme which is a specific initiative administered by the Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB). The DEIS Gaeltachta scheme commenced in 2019 with an allocation of €50,000 in order to assist in providing language acquisition opportunities to post-primary school students attending...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Foras na Gaeilge (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Cuireann mo Roinn 75% de bhuiséad ceadaithe Fhoras na Gaeilge ar fáil go bliantúil, leis an 25% eile ag teacht ó Roinn Pobal Thuaisceart Éireann, faoi réir an cóimheas maoinithe a aontaíodh nuair a bunaíodh an Foras Teanga. Cé go bhfuil airgead breise ar fáil i mbuiséad mo Roinne le blianta beaga anuas, 2025 san áireamh, is...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Irish Language (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: My Department has instituted a suite of supports for people who wish to pursue a career in the EU institutions in an Irish language role. Firstly, the ‘Aistritheoirí Óga' (Young Translators) translation competition is organised jointly by the Department and the European Commission each year. It is open to students across the island of Ireland who were at least 15 years...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is a key support to rural communities in improving non-public roads and laneways not usually maintained by local authorities. Since its reintroduction in 2017, the government has provided almost €170 million to local authorities under the Scheme. In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for LIS across all local authorities to...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: Administered by my Department, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major programme which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. It forms part of my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme, and has allocated €588 million to 243 projects across Ireland to date. The...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Gaeltacht Policy (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: In order to foster language acquisition and enrichment opportunities in the Gaeltacht outside of the post-primary education system for learners of the language, my Department provides a subsidy under the Irish Language Learners Scheme (Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge) payable to qualifying Gaeltacht households who provide accommodation for those attending an Irish course in any one...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

Dara Calleary: The Local Improvement Scheme or 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 establishment in 2017, the Government has provided almost € 170 million to local authorities under the Scheme. In April 2024, €40 million in funding was announced for LIS across all...