Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the grants available through his Department for rural lighting in view of the importance of such lighting and the safety factor that such lights provide in rural communities. [33510/08]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department does not operate a scheme or programme specifically for rural lighting. However, funding may be available under a number of the Department's schemes as follows: Under the Gaeltacht and Islands Improvement Schemes, my Department may provide assistance to Local Authorities for co-funded village enhancement works, which may include public lighting. Under the Community Support for Older People (CSOP) scheme, grants are provided to support the installation of external lighting for qualifying older people, and to provide interior emergency lighting for qualifying older people living on our offshore islands. This scheme is managed by my Department and is administered locally by community and voluntary groups. Under the LEADER programme, which will be delivered through Axes 3 & 4 of the Rural Development Programme 2007-13, support will be provided for actions aimed at enhancing the environmental, amenity and surface structural aspects of villages and small towns under the 'Village Renewal and Development' measure. In this context, funding may be available for public utilities such as street lighting.

I should point out that, in accordance with the LEADER bottom-up approach to rural development, applications for funding the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 are processed by Local Action Groups contracted to deliver the Programme on my Department's behalf. My Department has no role in processing such applications.

Further information regarding these and other schemes operated by my Department is available on the Department's website, www.pobail.ie.