Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 595: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the non-CLÁR areas with a 50% and upward population decline for the counties Wicklow and Carlow; if these will be included in the CLÁR programme, in view of the fact that they meet the criteria and there is recognition in the national development plan that the south west region of Wicklow has suffered decline; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10331/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:

I refer the Deputy to my reply to his Question No 177 of 02 March 2005. The twofold criterion for inclusion in the CLÁR programme was that the areas suffered an average population loss of 50% and with an aggregate current population of more than 4,000. The Deputy will see from the statistics provided for the DEDs in Counties Wicklow and Carlow that, while the appropriate population decline had occurred, the criterion of an aggregate population of more than 4,000 was not met. The DEDs concerned are not contiguous and adjoining DEDs did not experience comparable population loss. These areas, therefore, were not eligible for inclusion in either the original CLÁR areas or the revised areas following the analysis of the 2002 population census data.

I have no plans for any further review of the boundary of CLÁR areas. No other significant areas fulfil the population criteria for inclusion in CLÁR.