Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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455. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the further information which was required with an application for CLÁR funding for a group (details supplied); and if she will allow this information to be submitted at this stage and re-examine the application. [33630/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The 2017 CLÁR programme was launched on 31 March last, with a closing date of 5 May. The programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in disadvantaged rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population. Funding for the 2017 CLÁR programme was available this year under four separate Measures:

Measure 1: Support for School and Community Safety Measures

Measure 2: Play Areas

Measure 3: Targeted Community Infrastructure

Measure 4: First Responder Supports

Applications under Measures 1, 2 and 3 were submitted through the Local Authorities, while applications under Measure 4 were submitted from voluntary organisations involved in community-based response to emergency situations. In total, more than 500 applications were received across the four Measures to the value of €15 million.

In general, applications were assessed on the basis of their eligibility under the scheme criteria and on the quality of the documentation supporting their proposals. Approximately 230 applications were approved for funding totalling €7 million in recent weeks.

With respect to the application referred to by the Deputy, insufficient documentary evidence was provided as required by the scheme criteria and the application was unsuccessful as a result. Applicants were specifically required to provide the following documentation as part of the application process:

- an application by a School/Community organisation

- clear evidence of need

- full estimated costings

- evidence that all necessary permissions were in place

- evidence, where applicable, that ownership/lease was in place

- evidence that match funding was in place where relevant, and

- relevance to the LECP/other plan.

The group referred to by the Deputy provided a basic application outlining the proposed works, a rationale as to why the works were needed, and an estimate of costings. Evidence in respect of the other requirements outlined above was not provided.

All funding available under the CLÁR programme in 2017 has now been allocated. There are no plans at present to allocate any further funding to CLÁR this year.