Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 568: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the funding provided to Inishbofin Island over the past ten years by the sections of his Department originally part of the old Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. [1285/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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A key principle underlying my Department's activities is enabling communities themselves to identify and address social and economic needs and problems in their own areas. There is a particular focus on supporting communities that are vulnerable, disadvantaged or under threat, and an adherence to the values of local participation.

My Department is responsible for a range of programmes to support communities, including the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) which tackles poverty and social exclusion in disadvantaged communities; the RAPID Programme (Revitalising Areas through Planning Investment and Development) which tackles the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion in designated areas (Inishbofin is not covered by the RAPID Programme) and the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 which implements measures to improve the quality of life in rural areas and facilitate the diversification of the rural economy.

The following Programmes, which are relevant to the Island in question, were originally funded under the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs (formerly the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs) and transferred to my Department in May 2011.

Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP)

My Department delivers the Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP). The LCDP superseded the Community Development Programme (CDP) and the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme in January 2010. The objective of the LCDP is to tackle poverty and social exclusion through partnership and constructive engagement between Government and its agencies and people in disadvantaged communities. The Programme is managed by Pobal on behalf of my Department and delivered at a local level by the nationwide network of Local Development Companies. Funding of €55.157m has been provided under the Programme for 2012.

NRDP

The Area Based Rural Development Initiative (ABRDI), operatively known as the National Rural Development Programme (NRDP), formed part of the Regional Operational Programmes under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 (NDP). The Programme, with a public contribution of some €75.7 million, complemented the LEADER+ Programme and ensured the availability of funding in the 13 areas that were not appointed to deliver the LEADER+ Programme which included the Islands.

RDP 2007-2013

The Rural Development Programme 2007-2013 is an EU co-funded programme that aims to facilitate the diversification of the rural economy and to improve the quality of life in rural areas. Funding of €427m is available under the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2007-2013 for allocation to qualifying projects up to the end of 2013.

The table below details grants paid to Inishbofin Island under these Programmes from 2002-2011: