Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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362. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the rural regeneration development fund; the impact the fund can have in counties such as County Limerick; and his plans to make further calls for funding in the near future. [50695/19]

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 Fund provides an unprecedented opportunity to make a significant impact which will transform rural areas for the better and shows that the Government understands the need for proper investment in rural Ireland. Rural communities across the country are beginning to realise the benefits of theProject Ireland 2040 investment and the additional economic and social progressbeing achieved on foot of the funding.

Following the conclusion of the first call under the Fund in February 2019, I allocated €7,757,392 in funding to projects located in County Limerick. Some of the successful projects included:

- The expansion of the Great Southern Greenway which received €2.7 million in funding;

- The construction of a multi-purpose community building in Murrow which received €3.8 million in funding; and

- The development of the West Limerick Tourism Gateway which received €330,000 in funding.

I will be announcing the second call for Category 2 applications before the end of 2019 and I expect to announce the third call for Category 1 applications early in 2020.