Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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658. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the cost of restoring CLÁR Programme funding to the level that pertained before it was last abolished; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46324/15]

Ann Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Labour)
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As the Deputy is aware, the majority of CLÁR measures were closed to new applications in 2008 and while some measures accepted applications in 2009 and 2010, all were subsequently closed to new funding requests.

All of the remaining commitments under the CLÁR programme are in relation to already approved Sports Capital projects or Gaeltacht Grants. The lead Departments in relation to these projects and the source of the majority of funding to the community groups involved are the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

In the years immediately prior to measures closing to new applicants under the CLÁR programme, expenditure reached an average annual figure of just under € 23 million. An amount of €0.1 million has been allocated in 2015 to meet existing commitments and a similar amount will be allocated in 2016 to cover any existing commitments that may materialise. There are currently no plans to reopen measures under the CLÁR programme.