Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 367: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which he will offer funding under the CLÁR programme to any or all areas throughout County Clare in 2008; the number of applications on hand at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26032/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the CLÁR Programme is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that have suffered more than a 35% drop in population between 1926 and 2002. Since I introduced the Programme in 2002, it has been reviewed and extended twice, most recently in April 2006. I provide for the Deputy's information under Table 1, the list of Electoral Divisions in Co Clare that are now covered by the Programme. Table 2 lists all measures currently available to applicants from the CLÁR areas within County Clare and there are 17 applications for the Small Public and Sewerage Scheme currently on hand.

The measures under the programme are constantly kept under review to ensure their relevance to the programme's goal of rural regeneration and the list may be subject to change. Since the programme was launched in 2001, over €11m has been approved and almost €7.7m of that has been drawn down for projects in the CLÁR areas of County Clare. Full details of all funding approvals can be found on the Department's website, www.pobail.ie Table 1, County Clare DEDs