Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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756. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the towns in counties Cavan and Monaghan which have benefited under the REDZ scheme since its inception; the years they were successful; the projects the funding went towards; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41277/16]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Rural Economic Development Zones (REDZ) are functional, rather than administrative, geographic areas that reflect the spatial patterns of local economic activity and development. They are, in effect, sub-county zones within which most people live and work. The central objective of the REDZ concept is to encourage development on a more collaborative and functional basis, using the synergies and interdependencies between rural towns and their outlying areas to generate local economic activity.

In 2015, a pilot REDZ initiative was launched with the aim of encouraging Local Authorities, Development Agencies and communities to work collaboratively on the basis of these functional areas. A total of €3.758 million was approved in respect of 52 projects under the pilot.

Based on the success of that initiative, I launched a further phase of the REDZ programme in 2016. Under the programme, Local Authorities were invited to submit suitable projects for consideration based on the scheme criteria. Following the assessment of applications received, I approved total funding of €6.142 million for a further 47 REDZ projects across the country. Successful projects were awarded funding of up to 80% of the total project cost, with the balance of funding being met from local sources (Local Authority, private sector or community-based funding), with a minimum 5% cash contribution. Table 1 below provides details of the REDZ projects awarded funding in counties Cavan and Monaghan.

A decision on a call for proposals under the REDZ scheme for 2017 will be taken following a review of the scheme later this year.

Table 1 - Details of REDZ Projects awarded in Cavan and Monaghan