Written answers
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
Rural Development Programme Projects
Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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504. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on implementing or setting up a social farming scheme (details supplied); whether there are pilot schemes here and their outcomes. [35577/14]
Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The ‘Social Farming Across Borders’ project has been part-funded by my Department under the rural development theme of the EU co-funded INTERREG programme 2007-2013. The aim of this programme is to support strategic cross-border co-operation for a more prosperous and sustainable region within the eligible region of Northern Ireland, the Border Region of Ireland and Western Scotland. The“Social Farming Across Borders” project, which was led by University College Dublin, was awarded funding of €689,826 (of which my Department contributed €190,392) and has completed its activities. These activities included:
- The implementation of Social Farming Practice on 20 pilot farms
- Open days held on 5 Pilot Farms with attendance by 280 people
- The production of videos, guidelines, a cost/benefit report, and recommendations for improved institutional arrangements.
I have no plans at present to implement a specific social farming scheme.
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