Written answers

Thursday, 14 October 2021

Department of Rural and Community Development

Rural Recreation Policy

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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29. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the specific funds available from his Department to provide for the delivery of public greenspace, public parks and playgrounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45843/21]

Photo of Darren O'RourkeDarren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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80. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her plans to ensure the development of sustainable communities with adequate provision and prioritisation of public greenspace, public parks and playgrounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45842/21]

Photo of Heather HumphreysHeather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 29 and 80 together.

My Department's Mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant , inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. In delivering on that Mission my Department has a range of policies and programme interventions delivered throughout the country. In relation specifically to public greenspace, public parks and playgrounds, the following supports are relevant:

The Community Enhancement Programmein my Department provides small grants to community groups to enhance facilities, including playgrounds, in disadvantaged areas. Funding is allocated by my Department to each Local Authority area, and the Local Community Development Committee, with support from their Local Authority, administers the funding in that area. There is total funding of €4.5m in 2021, with €156,299 allocated to the Cork County Council area.

The CLÁR programme provides funding for small scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. Measure 2 of the 2021 CLÁR Programme which supports Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities provides support for the enhancement of existing and/or the development of new accessible outdoor community recreation facilities including playgrounds, skateboard parks and Multi Use Games Areas (MUGAs). The closing date for receipt of applications has now passed. The assessment of the applications received is ongoing and I expect to make an announcement on the approved projects in the coming weeks.

Funding for the type of project referred to by the Deputy may be available through the LEADERTransitional Programme.

In line with the Government’s ambitious policy for the development of rural Ireland, Our Rural Future, which was launched earlier this year, I announced an increased allocation of €70 million for the Transitional LEADER programme, which is now EU co-financed. This funding will support locally-led projects which focus on many of the key themes of Our Rural Futuresuch as building capacity and empowering local communities, embracing opportunities in the green economy, supporting remote working and the digital transformation, developing our outdoor amenities and creating jobs in rural areas

This programme, which will cover the period 2021-2022, came into effect on the 1April 2021 for new project applications. The programme will be delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) in each of the 28 LEADER sub-regional areas around the country.

Funding is provided under a broad range of themes, including enterprise development and social inclusion.

The decision to approve a project, or otherwise, is a matter for the LAG which administers the programme in each LEADER area. Interested applicants should, in the first instance, contact the relevant LAG through its Implementing Partner to discuss the eligibility of the project and the funding that may be available. The list of all LAGs, their Implementing Partners and their contact details, is available on my Department's website at the following link:www.gov.ie/en/publication/c45498-local-action-groups.

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