Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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211. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht when applicants for funding under the CLÁR programme can expect to be informed of her Department's decision; and when funding will be released. [34172/16]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government’s programme to support rural Ireland, I recently re-opened the CLÁR programme to new applications for the first time since 2010, with a budget of €3 million for this year. The programme will provide funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population.

At the beginning of October, relevant Local Authorities were invited to submit applications for projects in CLÁR areas under three separate measures – Safety Measures for Schools and Community Sports facilities, Playgrounds and Multi-use games areas (MUGA), and Local Access Roads.

The closing date for receipt of applications under the CLÁR programme was Friday last, 4th November 2016, and a large volume of applications has been received. My officials are currently collating the applications and will be examining them in detail. I expect to be in a position to approve projects under the programme in the coming weeks and applicants will be notified of the successful projects at that stage.

The reopening of the CLÁR programme is part of the Government’s wider programme to support rural development, which this year has also seen the launch of the Town and Village Renewal scheme, a new phase of the REDZ (Rural Economic Development Zones) Initiative, and funding for the development and maintenance of rural recreation infrastructure under the Rural Recreation scheme.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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212. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of submissions received from local authorities for the CLÁR programme 2016; the authorities that submitted them; the number of different projects in each submission; the total value of these projects per county; when it is expected to approve projects; the expected spend under the CLÁR programme in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34186/16]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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As part of the Government’s programme to support rural Ireland, I recently re-opened the CLÁR programme to new applications for the first time since 2010, with a budget of €3 million for this year. The programme will provide funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population.

At the beginning of October, relevant Local Authorities were invited to submit applications for projects in CLÁR areas under three separate measures – Safety Measures for Schools and Community Sports facilities, Playgrounds and Multi-use games areas (MUGA), and Local Access Roads.

The closing date for receipt of applications under the CLÁR programme was Friday last, 4th November 2016, and a large volume of applications has been received.

As my officials are still in the process of collating and categorising all of the information in these applications, it is not possible to provide the level of detail requested by the Deputy at this time. However, I will be in a position to provide further information shortly and will correspond directly with the Deputy on the matter.

I expect to be in a position to approve projects under the programme in the coming weeks and applicants will be notified of the successful projects at that stage.