James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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468. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason the results from the 2011 census were not included in the methodology employed for the 2016 and 2017 CLÁR application programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34428/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The CLÁR programme (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) was originally launched in October 2001 to provide for targeted investment in disadvantaged rural areas. The areas originally selected for inclusion in the programme were those which suffered the greatest population decline from 1926 to 1996 (with the exception of the Cooley Peninsula which was included on the basis of the serious difficulties caused in that area by Foot and Mouth disease). The average population loss in the original CLÁR regions over the period 1926 to 1996 was 50%. In 2006, an analysis of the 2002 Census data was carried out by the National Institute for Spatial Analysis (NIRSA) in Maynooth University and the programme was extended to include areas with an average population loss of 35% per county between 1926 and 2002. Parts of five counties were added (Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, Offaly, Wicklow), increasing the total number of counties covered by the programme at that stage from 18 to 23.

The CLÁR programme was effectively closed to new applicants from 2010. However, the Government re-launched the programme in the second half of 2016.

The analysis which is required to assess, and potentially amend, the designation of CLÁR areas is time-consuming and significant. Given that the 2016 Census had taken place in April of last year, and the fact that detailed information in respect of that Census was expected to be available by mid-2017, it would not have been an effective or efficient use of resources to commence an analysis of the 2011 data for CLÁR purposes towards the end of 2016. To do so would also have delayed the roll-out of the programme and would have prevented over 800 projects benefitting from funding in the last 12 months.

However, it is my intention to review the CLÁR areas later this year, based on detailed 2016 Census small area data which is expected to be available shortly.