Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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247. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding Kerry Social Farming; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45901/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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My Department established a €1m fund for Rural Development and Innovation projects in 2015, under the remit of my colleague Minister Phelan.

The purpose of this €1m fund is to address some of the recommendations laid down in the CEDRA report, and was utilised for a variety of pilot initiatives in 2015, including:

- Support for Female Rural Entrepreneurs

This was a national but targeted programme to select up to 50 women who have recently started or who have taken the first steps towards starting their own business in rural areas.

- Support for Social Farming Operations

This was a grant- aid programme to help advance existing social farming operations

- Support for Community Based Food and Artisan Markets

This was a scheme designed to help support activity in rural high streets through support for community based local food and artisan markets

- Agri-food related Tourism Initiatives

This was a scheme to provide for agri-food and marine tourism projects which advance rural and coastal economic development and was operated through the Local Authorities.

This Rural Development and Innovation fund has been increased to €1.5m for 2016 and work is ongoing to develop how this funding will be allocated.  As before, it will be utilised to address the recommendations in the CEDRA report, and is likely to contain a support specifically on Social Farming.