Written answers

Tuesday, 10 November 2015

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas

Photo of Bobby AylwardBobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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539. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the total amount of money spent on Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas projects in 2015 to date; the estimated spend in 2015 and 2016, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39338/15]

Photo of Bobby AylwardBobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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540. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the drawdown to date of the €5 million reserve earmarked in Leader funding for the period 2014 to 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39339/15]

Photo of Ann PhelanAnn Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 539 and 540 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, I am fully committed to supporting the development of rural Ireland through advancing the implementation of the CEDRA Report recommendations. To facilitate this agenda, I established the CEDRA Interdepartmental Group (IDG), comprising senior representatives of all relevant Government Departments. The purpose of the IDG is to ensure that each Department’s policy development and implementation fully considers the needs of rural communities. In this context, it is about maximising the financial resources already available for rural development and ensuring that these resources are directed in a way that best supports the sustainable economic development of rural areas. In this regard, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible or practical to quantify the cross Government funding of CEDRA projects in 2015 on a county basis.

I can advise the Deputy that €1 million was allocated in the Budget for 2015 to the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine to establish a Rural Innovation and Development fund in line with CEDRA recommendations to support innovative, small scale pilot initiatives and I am advised by that Department that this funding will be expended on a range of projects by end 2015.

The LEADER element of the Rural Development Programme 2014–2020 will provide €250 million in financial resources to support the development of sustainable rural communities. This includes a provision of €5 million to support the Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) identified in the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA). The approach to investing this €5 million in these rural areas, through LEADER, will be informed by the outcome of the REDZ pilot scheme that is currently being implemented by my Department.

Under the REDZ pilot scheme, my Department has recently allocated over €3.7 million to some 51 initiatives. Furthermore, and in line with the objectives of the CEDRA report, I recently announced an additional €30 million investment package for rural Ireland, which will be rolled over the coming months. This funding will also support the revitalisation of towns and villages with a view to improving the living and working environment in these communities and increase their potential to support increased economic activity into the future.

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