Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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517. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the co-funding required for each project further to the recent announcement of successful project applicants to be funded under the second call for funding under the rural regeneration and development fund by county in tabular form; the projected source of co-funding as outlined in the application for project funding; and the projects in each county that were not approved for funding that applied to the second call. [46525/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund seeks to support ambitious and strategic projects which have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. The Government has committed €1 billion over 10 years to the Fund and €315 million is allocated to the Fund for the period 2019-2022.

Under the published guidelines relating to the Fund it is stated that the Fund will provide up to 75% of the total project cost, with at least 25% to be provided in matching contributions by the applicants. A minimum of 10% of matching contributions must be in cash.

Matched funding may be in the form of a combination of wider Exchequer and/or State sector expenditure, Local Authority investment and/or land, community investment, philanthropic contributions, private sector investment (where appropriate), or other asset contributions. Funds secured from existing Department of Rural and Community Development schemes or programmes are not eligible to be used as matched funding.

The second call for Category 1 applications for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund closed on 6^thAugust 2019. Category 1 projects are projects which have all necessary planning and other consents in place and are ready to proceed. There was an excellent response from across the country and my Department received 69 applications for funding. I announced the successful projects from the second call on the 6^thNovember 2019. 26 projects were approved for funding of €62 million to support projects costing €95 million.

It should be noted that the allocation of funding to successful projects under the Fund is only in principle at this time and is subject to the completion of final due diligence, including confirmation of matched funding, and oversight of any emerging procurement costs. In due course, successful applicants will enter into a contractual arrangement with the Department to deliver as planned.

Table 1 sets out projects approved under the second call, the total funding allocated, the matched funding being supplied and the source of the matched funding.

Table 2 sets out the total number of applications received under the second call, as well as the number of successful and unsuccessful applications.

Table 1. Projects approved under the Second Call with details of matched funding.

Table 2. Number of Applications under the Second Call per County

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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518. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of projects approved under the first and second calls for the rural regeneration and development fund by county in tabular form; the number of projects not approved by county in each year; the main reasons for refusal; and if there is a mechanism in place to appeal refusal decisions. [46526/19]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund seeks to support ambitious and strategic projects which have the potential to transform rural economies and communities. The Government has committed €1 billion over 10 years to the Fund and €315 million is allocated to the Fund for the period 2019-2022.

The first call for applications for funding under the Fund was completed in February 2019. 280 applications were received for Category 1 (relating to capital projects which are fully planning and consent compliant and are ready to commence) and Category 2 (projects which require development support to become ready for Category 1 status) under the first call and 84 projects emerged as successful. The successful projects under the first call were allocated €86m in support from the Fund and will deliver a total investment of €117m.

Table 1 sets out the total number of applications under the first call, as well as the number of successful and unsuccessful applications.

The second call for Category 1 applications for the Fund closed on the 6^thAugust. There was an excellent response from all across the country, with my Department receiving 69 applications for funding.

On November 6th in New Ross. Co. Wexford, I announced the final outcome of the second call, identifying details of 26 successful projects. The successful projects have been allocated €62m in support from the Fund and will deliver a total investment of €95m.

Table 2 sets out the total number of applications received under the second call, as well as the number of successful and unsuccessful applications.

The application process for the Fund is competitive in nature and applications undergo comprehensive scrutiny involving assessment by my Department overseen by a Project Advisory Board, which includes representatives from key Government Departments as well as independent experts. On foot of this process, a report on recommended projects is submitted to me to inform my decision in relation to the allocation of funding to successful projects.

Projects which emerge unsuccessful from this process do so because other projects are recommended for funding ahead of them, based on the assessment process detailed above and subject to budgetary constraints. My Department supplies feedback on applications as required and will shortly be scheduling a formal feedback session for all interested stakeholders. There is no appeal procedure in relation to applications which, as detailed above, are selected on foot of an independent, comprehensive and robust assessment process. Unsuccessful applicants may apply for future calls.

Table 1. Number of Applications under the First Call per County, along with number of successful and unsuccessful applications.

Table 2. Number of Applications under the Second Call per County, along with number of successful and unsuccessful applications