Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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1012. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of applications made by each local authority to the digital innovation programme since established on an annual basis in tabular form; the number of applications made by each local authority to the programme that were approved and not approved by his Department; the amount of funding allocated to approved applications in each local authority annually; and the amount of approved funding that has been expended in each year. [54287/18]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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The Digital Innovation Programme was launched in 2018. The purpose of the programme is to encourage Local Authorities to support digital development in their areas. Projects must promote, support, or otherwise advance at least one of the pillars outlined in the scheme criteria and must show the potential for public benefit.

Applications are required to meet certain criteria that include evidence that the project will take an innovative approach, provide a public benefit and meet prescribed draw-down timescales. Applications that satisfy these criteria are deemed to be valid applications and are then assessed by an evaluation panel.

All Local Authorities were invited to apply for funding under two calls for proposals under the Digital Innovation Programme in 2018. This resulted in 36 valid applications progressing to evaluation stage, and 21 projects being approved for funding. In addition, a number of Local Authorities submitted applications that were not deemed valid in the context of the scheme criteria and, as a consequence, did not progress to the evaluation stage. Details of the valid applications received from each of the Local Authorities who submitted proposals, along with the number of applications approved and the funding awarded, are provided on Table 1 below.

Since its inception, €700,094 has been awarded under the Digital Innovation Programme. All of the funding awarded has been drawn down by the Local Authorities.

Further details of the projects funded by my Department through the Digital Innovation Programme can be found on the Department’s website: www.drcd.gov.ie.

Table 1 - Digital Innovation Programme: Applications by Local Authority