Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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359. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she proposes to assist communities under the CLÁR programme in 2022 given that many areas eligible for such assistance may have suffered in lockdown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9005/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of de-population over a defined period. The measures to be included in the CLÁR programme are reviewed and revised, if appropriate, each year. 

Over 160 projects were approved funding under the programme in 2021 to assist rural communities as referenced by the Deputy. This included a measure providing funding for Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities which are assisting communities respond to COVID challenges.

The funding allocation for the 2022 CLÁR programme was increased to €7 million under Budget 2022. This is an increase of €1.5 million from the budgetary provision in 2021. The measures to be funded under CLÁR 2022 are currently being reviewed in advance of the launch of this year's programme. I expect to announce the details of the 2022 programme shortly. 

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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360. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the total funding available to her Department for the 2022 local improvement scheme; the outcome of discussions she has had with the Minister for Transport regarding funding to local authorities from that Department for the local improvement scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9026/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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As part of 'Our Rural Future', the Government is committed to ensuring that the Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) is funded into the future. This reflects the important contribution which the scheme makes to connectivity in rural Ireland. The LIS supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities.

The Local Improvement Scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding.  Since then my Department has allocated €80 Million towards improvement works on over 3,000 non-public roads and lanes. These works have benefitted over 13,300 landowners and residents in these rural areas.

I launched the 2021 Scheme with an initial budget of €10.5 million. I was very pleased to source additional funding during the year and allocated a further round of funding to bring the total for 2021 to €21 million.

I was also pleased, as part of Budget 2022 to announce an increase in the base funding for LIS from €10.5 million to €11 million for this year. I will be launching this year's scheme in the coming weeks at which point individual county council allocations will be made known.

I have continued to actively engage with my colleague, Minister Ryan, to explore the potential for further financial support for LIS from his Department. While I accept that his Department's priority at the moment remains the upkeep and maintenance of national and local public roads, I believe a cross- Government approach might reap dividends in tackling the backlog of applications on hand in local authorities. I will continue to pursue this with Minister Ryan.