Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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175. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount of moneys approved for town and village renewal projects in 2017; the deadline for the completion of works under these approvals; the number of applications received; the number approved; his plans to approve further projects in view of the significant underspend in 2017 of his Department's capital budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43093/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched on 13th April last, with a focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages.

In total, my Department received 333 applications under the scheme, including 20 applications under a separate strand for public art works. Following a detailed assessment process, on 4th October I announced funding of €21.6 million for 281 rural towns and villages which will benefit under the 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. These projects will be delivered over a period of 12-15 months.

The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme is now closed.  All projects which reached the qualifying mark for funding eligibility were approved an I have no plans to approve further projects under that scheme at this stage. 

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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176. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the method and criteria used in assessing projects under the town and village renewal scheme; if a scoring system was used; if the county councils and voluntary groups have been advised of the system; the score that needed to be achieved to get approval of funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43094/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched on 13th April last, with a focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages. The scheme forms an important part of the Action Plan for Rural Development.

When the scheme was launched, Local Authorities were given full particulars of how the scheme would operate, including the scheme outline and detailed information regarding the qualifying conditions, assessment criteria and scoring system that would be applied. Local Authorities were also required to advertise for expressions of interest from towns/villages in their area and to select up to 15 proposals for development into detailed applications to be submitted to the Department.

My officials assessed each Town and Village application under 5 separate criteria:

- Economic Development potential

- Strategic nature of the proposal, in line with Local Economic and Community Plans (LECPs)

- Demonstration of need and potential

- Realistic nature of the proposal

- Value for Money

In order to reach a minimum qualifying standard, a score of at least 65% had to be achieved under each of the criteria listed above.

On the 4th October last, I published a list of 281 successful towns and villages that will be supported under the 2017 scheme, to a total value of €21.6 million.

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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177. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the reason an application (details supplied) for funding under the town and village renewal scheme was not awarded funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43095/17]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The 2017 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched on 13th April last, with a focus on improving the economic development of our rural towns and villages.  Local Authorities were invited to submit a maximum of 15 applications each to the Department for consideration.

In line with the scheme outline, Local Authorities were required to advertise for expressions of interest from towns and villages in their area and to select up to 15 proposals for development into detailed applications to be submitted to the Department. 

I can confirm that an application in relation to the case referred to by the Deputy was not submitted to my Department for consideration by the relevant Local Authority.  The selection of projects for submission to the Department was entirely a matter for the Local Authorities.

A total of €21.6 million has been allocated to 281 towns and villages throughout the country under the Town and Village Renewal scheme this year.