Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

588. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a decision will be made on the submission made by Cork County Council for funding for the Kanturk relief road under the rural regeneration programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47902/18]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

589. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a final decision on projects (details supplied) is expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47932/18]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

590. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when final decisions on projects (details supplied) are expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47984/18]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

591. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when final decisions on projects (details supplied) are expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48004/18]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

592. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when final decisions on projects (details supplied) are expected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48065/18]

Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

593. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when successful applications for the rural regeneration and investment fund will be announced by category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48388/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 588 to 592, inclusive, and 593 together.

The first call for applications for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund closed at the end of September.  €1 billion is committed to the Fund over a 10 year period to support rural economic development and help build strong communities.

There was an excellent response to the first call, with nearly 300 applications received.  Applications for the Fund are currently being examined by the Project Advisory Board, made up of representatives from key Government Departments and external experts, which was established to oversee the assessment process.  Category 1 "shovel ready" projects have been prioritised in the assessment process and Category 2 projects - those which need development funding to become potential Category 1 applications in future calls for applications - will be considered at a later date.

I expect to receive the first set of recommendations from the Project Advisory Board in relation to Category 1 projects for funding shortly.  I will consider those recommendations once they are submitted and will make an announcement thereafter.

As the work of the Project Advisory Board continues, further announcements on successful Category 1 and Category 2 projects will follow.