Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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223. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the 2018 allocation to schemes (details supplied); the amount of expenditure allocated for each scheme in the 2018 fiscal year; and the amount of capital expenditure allocated for each scheme whereby this amount is rolled out over four years per EU fiscal rules in tabular form. [24229/18]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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225. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount by current and capital expenditure allocated in 2016 and 2017 to schemes (details supplied); and the amount of funding drawn down and expended in both years for each scheme in tabular form. [24231/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 223 and 225 together.

Based on clarifications provided by the Deputy’s office, I understand that the Deputy is primarily enquiring about the funding which has been made available under a number of schemes and the timeframe within which the funding is expected to be drawn down.

Table 1 below provides details of capital allocations made under schemes referred to by the Deputy since 2016 and the amounts drawn down under those schemes each year.  In general, these schemes are implemented through the Local Authorities. 

The Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the CLÁR programme operate over a 12-18 month period from the time of the allocation of funding to successful projects. Projects under the Local Improvement Scheme are expected to be completed in the fiscal year in which the funding is allocated. My Department engages with all funding recipients on an on-going basis to ensure that funding is spent as efficiently as possible and in accordance with the original project proposals.

The 2018 CLÁR scheme was launched in March of this year and in excess of 400 applications were received and are currently being assessed.  I expect to announce successful allocations under that scheme in the coming weeks.

The 2018 Town and Village Renewal Scheme was launched in April and the closing date for applications is the end of June.  The 2018 Outdoor Infrastructure Scheme will be launched very shortly.

Funding for the 2018 LIS scheme was allocated to the Local Authorities in April and projects are expected, for the most part, to be completed by the end of July 2018.

In addition to the schemes listed on the table below, expenditure on the Walks Scheme amounts to approximately €2 million per annum in current funding.  This scheme provides funding for the maintenance of sections of 39 trails that traverse private lands. The scheme is managed and administered by 16 Local Development Companies around the country on behalf of my Department. The scheme also has a small capital allocation of approximately €50,000 per annum to cover materials used for small capital works in the maintenance and repair of the trails.

Table 1 - Capital allocations and drawdown 2016-2018

* Funding drawndown in both 2017 and to date in 2018, in respect of funding allocated in 2017.

** Funding allocated in January 2018 in respect of the 2017 scheme.

*** Funding drawndown in 2018, in respect of funding allocated in 2017 and 2018.