Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 55: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the reason the funding for CLÁR has not been proportionately increased in view of the decision to double the population which is eligible under the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22860/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the expenditure to date in 2006 on a county basis under the CLÁR programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23117/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he intends to increase expenditure under the various headings in the CLÁR programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23124/06]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the amount he has available through CLÁR for community groups; the way in which such groups can draw down funds in areas such as Cavan and Monaghan where funds from LEADER groups that are normally used as lead funds have already dried up; if this means that the recent extensions to CLÁR areas will be of little benefit to community groups without additional funds for LEADER; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23146/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 55, 171, 178 and 181 together.

As Deputy Crawford states, the population included in the extended CLÁR Programme has almost doubled. However, I would like to assure him that there has, in fact, been a corresponding pro-rata increase in funding for the Programme.

The provision for the original Programme in the 2006 Abridged Book of Estimates was nearly €14m. This equates to an average provision of over €1m per month in the full year. I announced the extended areas in April 2006 and the additional funding of €9m that I secured allows for a similar level of investment in the extended areas for the remaining 8 months of the year.

The breakdown of the €22.95m available for the Programme in 2006 under the various headings and expenditure to date (approx. €3.35m) under the Programme on a county basis are detailed in Tables A and B respectively. I am confident that a comprehensive work programme will be completed in all the areas included in the Programme from the funding available this year.

No specific allocations are made to community groups from each year's Estimates provision for the Programme. Measures under the Programme with a particular community emphasis are — Sports Capital Top-up Grants; Gaeltacht Sport and Community Top-up Grants; Village and Countryside Enhancement Scheme; Bi-lingual Signage Scheme and Community Initiatives of a Capital Nature. These measures are, in the main, demand-led and projects are approved for CLÁR funding on the recommendation of the relevant Departments, State agencies or LEADER groups. With the exception of the Sports Capital Grants for 2006, communities in the extended CLÁR areas can benefit immediately under these measures.

In relation to LEADER funding being allocated to projects eligible for CLÁR funding, this is primarily a matter for each LEADER Company. I have already made additional funding available to LEADER companies, over the allocation in the NDP. Consideration will be given to allocating further funding available to LEADER companies as the year progresses.