Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made on the commitment given in the programme for Government to double funding for the CLÁR programme to enable rural infrastructure deficits to be tackled. [18762/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No 14 of 3 April 2008.

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made on the commitment given in the programme for Government to establish community and development agencies as a one-stop shop. [18763/08]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made on the commitment given in the programme for Government to ensure that islands through Comhdháil Oileán na hÉireann will have their own dedicated LEADER partnership company. [18779/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 194 together.

As the Deputy will be aware from the reply given by the former Minister of State, Deputy Carey to Questions Nos. 10 and 11 of 3 April 2008, the core objective of the cohesion process is to simplify and improve local delivery of programmes operated by my Department through the integration and alignment of local delivery structures. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, the intention is that for the future, there will be one local development company in any given area and fewer local development companies overall. The new arrangements will provide full county coverage and enable communities to more readily access services and make maximum use of the funding available.

At this stage, local development bodies are in place in 54 of the 55 operational areas agreed by the Government. In respect of the islands, a new integrated structure, Comhar na nOileáin Teoranta, was incorporated on 8 November 2007.

Transitional arrangements are being made for 2008 to enable the new integrated structures to extend their areas of coverage and to embed their operations.