Written answers
Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
Rural Recreation Scheme
Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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171. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if Kilkenny County Council submitted an application for funding under the rural recreation scheme; if submitted, the reason for refusal of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27656/16]
Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In August 2015, the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government invited expressions of interest under the Rural Recreation Scheme in respect of the development and maintenance of recreational infrastructure. Due to a variety of factors, including extreme weather conditions towards the end of 2015, the scheme did not proceed last year. However, on the basis of the expressions of interest, and following clarification by my Department that the projects in question were still in a position to proceed, €4.5 million was allocated to 75 projects around the country earlier this month for the development and maintenance of recreational infrastructure.
I can confirm that no expression of interest was received from Kilkenny County Council under the Rural Recreation Scheme.
Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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172. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if Carlow County Council submitted an application for funding under the rural recreation scheme; if submitted, the reason for refusal of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27657/16]
Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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In August 2015 the then Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government invited expressions of interest under the Rural Recreation Scheme in respect of the development and maintenance of recreational infrastructure. A total of 6 expressions of interest were received from Carlow County Council at that time. Due to a variety of factors, including extreme weather conditions towards the end of 2015, the scheme did not proceed last year. However, on the basis of the expressions of interest, and following clarification by my Department that the projects in question were still in a position to proceed, €4.5 million was allocated to 75 projects around the country earlier this month for the development and maintenance of recreational infrastructure.
Five of the proposals submitted by Carlow County Council were deemed to be ineligible as the nature of these applications did not fulfil the criteria for outdoor recreational infrastructure as defined in the National Countryside Recreation Strategy.
My Department’s officials have been liaising with Carlow County Council in relation to further developing the sixth proposal, with a view to its consideration should additional funding become available under the Rural Recreation Scheme.
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