Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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387. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to the potential of three phase electric power; if her attention has been further drawn to its potential in assisting the rural economy; and if there is any intention to restore grants for its installation. [3126/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I understand that the former Farm Electrification Grant Scheme for Disadvantaged Areas included a grant for Three-Phase electricity supply on farms. This scheme was administered and funded through the former Department of Community Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and subsequently by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government up to 2011. The Farm Electrification Grant Scheme ceased operation towards the end of 2011.

Previously the CLÁR scheme, a targeted investment programme for small scale infrastructure in disadvantaged rural areas, provided funding to support micro enterprise to convert from single phase to three phase electricity. However, the scheme was closed for new applications in 2009.

I have recently reopened the CLÁR programme, and have secured a budget of €5M for CLÁR in 2017. While I currently have no plans to introduce a grant scheme for Three-Phase electricity, I will keep the matter under consideration in the context of the development of new schemes that can support rural economies.