Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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301. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total amount of current and capital expenditure allocated to initiatives under the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas in 2016 and 2017, in tabular form; the total amount of funds expended to each year to date in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40795/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas (CEDRA) was published in April 2014 and contained 34 recommendations to support the development of rural Ireland. Some of these recommendations had a direct associated programme cost, while others related to policy initiatives that could be taken to support rural economic development.

The priority recommendation made by CEDRA was the need for a co-ordinated approach to rural development across Government. The assignment of responsibility to my Department for regional and rural development addresses this key recommendation. The forthcoming Action Plan for Rural Development will, furthermore, provide an overarching structure for the implementation of initiatives across Government which will benefit rural Ireland. 

Other policy measures across Government that support the recommendations in the CEDRA report include the creation of the Local Enterprise Office network as a “first-stop-shop” for micro-enterprises, the preparation for the rollout of high speed broadband, and the provision of loans for small businesses through the Microfinance Loan Fund.

Programmes under my own Department’s remit that can be directly related to the recommendations in the CEDRA report include the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) pilot initiative in 2015, and the 2016 REDZ programme.

In 2016, I approved funding of €9.865 million to 172 projects under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme. I also approved funding of €5.3 million for 41 REDZ projects. All funding for these schemes is by way of capital expenditure.

Given the number of projects involved and the on-going activity taking place, it is not possible, at this stage, to provide information on the amount of money spent on the projects to date in 2016. The final expenditure figure for 2016 will be published in 2017 as part of my Department’s Appropriation Account.

I have also secured increased funding of €12 million for an enhanced Town and Village Renewal scheme as part of Budget 2017. I will review funding for REDZ scheme for 2017 following and evaluation of the current programme.