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

496. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the financial allocations in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 for the seniors alert scheme in County Cork; the take-up of the scheme since 2016 for County Cork; the changes made to the scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38550/21]

Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme for the purchase by a registered community based-organisation of a personal alarm or pendant.

Further to a review, a new scheme was introduced in 2017. I am pleased to say that since the launch of the current scheme, demand has been unprecedented. In 2020, over 16,700 participants were approved. In 2021, over 7,500 participants have been approved to the end of June, with approximately 6,800 installations completed.

The key features of the current scheme include:

- free monitoring of the alarm service for the 1st year;

- a person no longer has to be living alone to qualify;

- a self-declaration of limited means for eligibility; and

- an increase in administrative payments to community groups involved in rolling out the scheme.

Since 2016, 9,842 participants have been approved for the Scheme in County Cork, broken down as follows:

The current lot-based tender system for suppliers combines a number of counties into each of the seven lots, and payments are made to the suppliers in each of these lots. Therefore it is not possible to say with full accuracy how much funding has been given to each county.

The Senior Alert Scheme is demand led and funding is allocated to meet the demand under the Scheme and is not divided on a geographical basis.

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

497. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his Department has examined ways to address rural isolation and loneliness; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38551/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Addressing the issue of rural isolation is relevant to the work of a number of Government Departments. This is reflected in ongoing Government work including that aimed at enhancing community policing, rural transport links and tackling social inclusion. Focus on actions to address the issue of isolation in communities has become more important than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of my Department's policies and funding programmes contribute to addressing isolation issues in communities.

Key interventions include fundingthe Seniors Alert Scheme, whichenables older people to live securely, with peace of mind, in their homes through the provision of personal monitored alarms, ensuring contact is maintained with those who are vulnerable. In addition, as part of the Department’s COVID-19 Action Plan, increased support was provided for older people through our funding partnership with ALONE for their crisis telephone support line.

The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP)is Ireland’s primary social inclusion funding intervention, delivered locally by Local Development Companies (LDCs) to help those in the greatest need access supports to enable participation in communities. LDCs have put in place various measures to ensure supports continue to be delivered to vulnerable and isolated people throughout the COVID-19 crisis. These include:

- Online supports delivered via telephone, email, Zoom, with additional support to individuals with limited access to technology.

- LDCs that operate a “friendly call” service to elderly people saw an increase in demand for the service with some LDCs mobilizing local community groups to become involved in making regular contact with older, vulnerable isolated people during COVID.

- LDCs supported an increase in demand for Meals on Wheels services and foodbanks, particularly for those not able to travel to shops and those experiencing food poverty.

The National Social Enterprise Policy aims to enable social enterprisesincrease their social, environmental and economic impact. Many social enterprises are based in rural or isolated areas and provide services to communities that may not otherwise be available.

Following the closure of all public libraries in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic Library Authorities (LAs) quickly identified the need for a service to deliver library items to the homes of isolating community members, care facilities and Direct Provision Centres. Currently more than half of our library authorities are delivering library stock to the vulnerable and housebound. This service is highly valued by the customers who received books, audiobooks, CDs and DVDs along with a welcome friendly chat with the driver.

The library service also operates a network of mobile libraries which provides an invaluable service for library users in rural communities, providing inclusion and connection to many remote areas. The vehicles offer books and other library items along with free Wi-Fi access.

The library service also provides members with free online access to thousands of eBooks, eAudiobooks, magazines, newspapers and training courses.

As part of the Government’s Keep Well programme, public libraries distributed 50,000 free food growing kits through the Grow it Forward campaign in March 2021. This initiative is designed to help the nation eat well by inspiring and supporting people to grow some of their own food at home while connecting with friends and family to join them.

The current LEADER Programmefunctions under EAFRD Priority 6 – promoting social inclusion, poverty reduction and economic development in rural areas. This provides the basis for LEADER to address challenges facing Irish society including social exclusion. The Social Inclusion Theme is composed of the sub-themes Provision of Basic Services Targeted at Hard to Reach Communities and Rural Youth.

The sub-themes focus on providing basic services to communities in remote areas which may be at risk of social exclusion and also promoting youth entrepreneurship and associated training in order to improve improved pathways for young people to access economic opportunities in rural areas.

Physical and social isolation can have a significant impact on people living in rural areas.My Department recently published Our Rural Future, a rural development policy for the next five years. The policy seeks to strengthen and build resilience in our rural communities and deliver a range of policy measures in order to achieve these objectives.

I have also introduced a new CLÁR Innovation Measure this year. This funding will be targeted at piloting new ideas which address specific challenges faced by communities in CLÁR areas, including rural isolation, population change, social disadvantage and marginalisation. This Measure provides a great opportunity for communities to identify the specific challenges they face and to come up with innovative ways to address them.

The issue of isolation is one which concerns us all and I am committed to continuing my Department’s response to this issue through continued delivery of relevant programmes and policies.

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

498. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the approvals to date by the local action groups of funding for projects under the Leader programme by County Cork local action groups; the amount of expenditure to date on projects by County Cork local action groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38552/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The 2014-2020 LEADER programme for Ireland had an allocation of €250 million. €225 million of this budget was allocated to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who delivered the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covered both core project expenditure and the administration costs of the LAG.

For the purposes of the LEADER Programme, County Cork was divided into 3 sub-regional areas, with a LAG in each area delivering separate Local Development Strategies.

The deadline for project commitments under the 2014-2020 programme was extended to the end of March 2021 to facilitate the full allocation of the funds available to the LAGs.

The amount allocated to Co. Cork for that period was €14.4 million.

In line with the ‘Our Rural Future’ – the Government’s Rural Development Policy for 2021-2025, I announced an increased allocation of €70 million for the Transitional LEADER Programme which came into effect in April and will cover the period 2021-2022, with a successor programme to commence in 2023.

€65 million of this budget is available to Local Action Groups (LAGs) who deliver the programme and approve projects at local level. This allocation covers both core project expenditure and the administration costs of the LAGs.

A further €3 million of the funding is being allocated to support Co-operation projects and innovation between LAGs, while the remaining €2 million is being provided to provide preparatory support for the next LEADER programme. Further funding opportunities under the LEADER Food Initiative remain in place until the entirety of funds are exhausted.

The amount allocated to Co. Cork under the Transitional programme is €4.1 million. This allocation is provided on a pro-rata basis, commensurate with the allocations made at the start of the 2014-2020 LEADER programme.

Table 1 below shows the overall LEADER allocation by LAG, number and value of projects approved, together with project expenditure, broken-down by LAG area in County Cork up to 11^thJuly 2021.

Project approvals have commenced under the Transitional Programme and I am confident that all LAGs will have committed their project budgets by December 2022.

Final claims for payment must be submitted to the Department no later than 30 June 2024.

Table 1: County Cork LEADER Allocation, number and value of project approved, together with project expenditure breakdown by LAG Area up to 11^thJuly 2021.

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

499. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the amount budgeted for the local improvement scheme in 2021 for County Cork; the demand for the scheme in County Cork and financial allocations to date by Cork local authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38553/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Local Improvement Scheme, or LIS, is a programme for improvement works on small private or non-public roads in rural areas which are not under the normal maintenance of the Local Authorities. The scheme is funded by my Department and is administered through relevant Local Authorities. Cork City Council along with Galway City Council and the Dublin local authorities are not eligible for funding under the LIS Scheme.

I launched the 2021 LIS on 14th May. I was pleased to secure a 5% increase in funding for the Scheme, bringing the funding available for this year to €10.5 million

Cork County Council has been allocated funding of €920,00 in 2021. This represents the highest allocation in the country. This will bring the amount allocated to County Cork to some €5.5 million since 2017, as set out in the following table:

I understand that there is considerable demand for this funding in County Cork and other areas throughout the country. Officials in my Department are currently liaising with the various Local Authorities to ascertain the level of demand and their capacity to complete additional roads this year, should additional funding become available.