Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of extra funding which will be given to Cork County Council to fund local improvement schemes in the expanded CLÁR area in the remainder of 2006 and for a full year. [16486/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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An amount of €22.95m is being provided in my Department's Vote for the CLÁR Programme in 2006. This represents an increase of over €9m on the 2005 funding and will allow for the expansion of the Programme as recently announced by me.

I am currently in discussion with my colleague Batt O'Keefe T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government regarding the continuation of support for Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) roads projects in CLÁR areas in 2006 and I expect to make an announcement shortly.

Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 351: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount of extra funding which will be made available to leader groups in Cork to cater for expanded CLÁR area in the remainder of 2006 and for a full year. [16487/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Funding of €22.950m has been provided in my Department's Vote for the CLÁR Programme in 2006. This represents an increase of over 70% on the 2005 expenditure and will allow for the expansion of the Programme into the new areas, as recently announced by me.

The Deputy should note, however, there are no set CLÁR allocations/budgets for projects co-funded under CLÁR and the LEADER Programme.

As the co-ordinators for such projects, the LEADER groups decide on the projects to be funded. Approval of CLÁR funding for projects is demand led, with all applications submitted by the LEADER groups being considered for aid, once the funding ratios and the CLÁR criteria for the scheme have been met.