Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if consideration is being given to the establishment of a national awards scheme for recognition of notable achievement and voluntary and community work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3690/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The establishment of a broad national awards scheme for recognition of notable achievement does not come within my Department's remit. The Joint Committee on Arts, Sport, Tourism, Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs report on volunteers and volunteering in Ireland advanced a number of proposals on this topic in its recommendations last year on volunteering. Subsequently, I launched a range of measures to support volunteering. While I have concerns to avoid unnecessary bureaucracy relating to an awards scheme recognising volunteering and community work, I am disposed to keep the matter under consideration for any further initiatives in support of volunteering.

Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)
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Question 141: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his proposals to overcome the ongoing problem of depopulation in rural Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3691/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Through the CLÁR programme, my Department will continue in 2006 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. This funding helps rural communities overcome local difficulties and achieve access to a range of essential services such as water supply, sewerage disposal, road access, broadband communication, community and economic infrastructure, etc. 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 over €48 million from 2002-05, which, it is estimated, leveraged out a further €53 million, approximately, in related public and private expenditure in those years. 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, etc. which address rural depopulation in a general way through key interventions and supports. Information on these programmes is available on my Department's website at www.pobail.ie.