Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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603. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development his views on the legality, appropriateness and wisdom of his Department granting €2 million under the rural regeneration and development fund to a proposed aquaculture marine park at Kilkieran, Connemara, in view of the fact that the project is still going through an appeal with An Bord Pleanála; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52945/18]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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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 with €55 million allocated to the fund in Budget 2019.

I announced the first 18 successful projects under the Fund on the 23 November. These projects will receive a total of €24.4 million from the Fund while unlocking a further €11 million in other funding, and all are ready to commence in 2019. Further announcements of successful Category 1 and Category 2 projects will take place early in the New Year with a further call for the Fund taking place later in 2019.

The project referred to by the Deputy was not among the 18 successful projects referred to above and, therefore, no funding has been allocated to the project from the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund.