Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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796. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount of investment from capital spending his Department has made in County Kildare since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29886/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Total capital expenditure by my Department was €396m in the period 2011 to end 2014 and is currently forecast at €93.6m for 2015. This expenditure is not broken down by county. The most significant component of my Department's capital expenditure is in respect of the Better Energy Programme, which consists of three schemes, administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) on behalf ofmy Department. SEAI has advised me that for the period 2011 to date grants amounting to over €4.8m have been awarded under the Better Energy Homes Scheme, €60,388 has been awarded under the Better Energy Communities Scheme and over €1.8m has been invested in the Warmer Homes Scheme, in County Kildare.

Under the Metropolitan Area Networks (MANs) Scheme, €10,350 was paid in the period in question as a balance in respect of the installation of telecommunications ducting, carried out in conjunction with other works in Newbridge, Co Kildare.

A sum of €46,701 has been awarded to date under the Trading Online Voucher Scheme in respect of grant assistance to 24 small businesses in Co. Kildare to help them develop their online trading capability.

Finally, the Deputy may wish to note that there were 11 electoral divisions in County Kildare covered by the National Broadband Scheme (NBS), which was in place between December 2008 and August 2014. The actual expenditure is not available as it is part of a national contract for the NBS.