Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 217: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the action he has taken to date in 2005 to address rural depopulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31006/05]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Through the CLÁR programme, my Department has continued in 2005 to address depopulation, as well as the decline and lack of services in rural areas. The programme covers areas in 18 counties, with a population of 362,000, including areas I announced in January 2003 in light of the 2002 population census data. The average population loss in the selected areas is 50%. The exception is the Cooley peninsula, which was included on the basis of the serious difficulties caused there by foot and mouth disease.

CLÁR funds or co-funds, together with other Departments, State agencies and local authorities, investment in selected priority developments. These investments support physical, economic and social infrastructure across a wide range of measures and reflect the priorities identified by the communities in the selected areas whom I consulted at the start of the programme. I intend to continue these procedures for any new measures I may introduce, depending on needs identified. Equally, I will keep under review the operation of existing measures.

Expenditure under the CLÁR programme amounted to €14.14 million in 2002, €8.613 million in 2003 and €12.116 million in 2004 which, it is estimated, leveraged out a further €36.5 million in related public and private expenditure in those three years. The financial provision for 2005 is €13.7 million and, once again, a comprehensive work programme will be completed this year. I am satisfied that the needs of the people in the CLÁR areas are being met through the efficient and effective delivery of the programme and that CLÁR is making a sustained and strong positive contribution to rural communities.

My Department also funds a range of other programmes such as the Leader programme, the rural social scheme, Gaeltacht and island schemes that address rural depopulation in a general way through a number of supports. Information on these programmes is available on my Department's website at www.pobail.ie.