Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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47. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of projects that were approved for safety measures outside schools under the CLÁR programme; his plans for the programme in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19014/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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CLÁR is a targeted capital investment programme for rural areas which have experienced significant levels of depopulation. The programme was originally launched in October 2001 but was closed for applications in 2010. I re-opened the scheme in 2016 to support the development of these, frequently remote and significantly depopulated, rural areas through small-scale capital projects involving collaboration between Local Authorities and their communities, for the most part.

Under Measure 1 of the 2016 CLÁR programme, 514 projects were approved for safety measures in the vicinity of schools and community facilities, at a cost of €5,134,250.

Under the 2017 CLÁR programme, 101 projects were approved for safety measures in the vicinity of schools and community facilities, at a cost of €2,722,328.

The 2018 CLÁR programme was launched on 15th March, with an indicative allocation of €5 million which will be made available to qualifying projects under the following measures:

Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures

Measure 2: Play Areas/ MUGAs

Measure 3: First Response Support Measure

The closing date for receipt of applications was 30 April. My officials will now assess all applications received against the criteria for the programme, and I hope to be in a position to announce the successful 2018 CLÁR projects in the coming weeks.