Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Sinn Fein)
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239. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the €8 million funding sought by Clare County Council for the development of a maritime training centre in Kilrush which is capable of sustaining 28 jobs all-year round; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50108/21]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns and villages and rural areas across Ireland. To date, 164 projects have been approved for funding of €252m for projects costing over €343m.

Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place and which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for Category 1 applications

The third call for Category 2 applications to the Fund closed on 30^thJuly 2021. My Department received 53 applications to this call and I understand that an application was received for the project referred to by the Deputy.

The application process for the Fund is competitive in nature. Applications are currently being assessed by my Department, under the oversight of the Project Advisory Board, comprised of representatives from key Government Departments and independent experts. Once that process is complete, my Department will prepare a report setting out recommended projects and my role as Minister will be to consider that report and make final decisions in relation to the allocation of funding.