Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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111. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development her views on the way to alleviate the cost-of-living increases for communities in urban and rural areas in the course of the next twelve months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45095/22]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am acutely aware of the increase in cost of living and consumer prices in recent months, especially the increase in fuel and other energy prices including home heating oil. The Government has designed a package of measures to alleviate the impact of increased energy prices on all households, both rural and urban.

The package of measures includes:

- an energy credit of €200 including VAT, estimated to impact just over 2 million households;

- a lump sum payment of €125 on the fuel allowance paid to 390,000 recipients;

- an additional lump sum payment of €100 paid to all households in receipt of the fuel allowance;

- a temporary reduction in public transport fares of 20% from the end of April to the end of the year. This will impact approximately 800,000 daily users of Bus Éireann, Iarnród Éireann, Dublin Bus, Go Ahead, Luas, DART and Local Link services;

- a reduction of the Drug Payment Scheme from €144 to €80 benefitting just over 70,000 families;

- the working family payment budget increase was brought forward from 1 June to 1 April; and

- reduced caps for multiple children on school transport fees to €500 per family post primary and €150 for primary school children.

From my own Department’s perspective, I launched Our Rural Future, a national Rural Development Policy for 2021-2025 last year with the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, and Minister Eamon Ryan.

The policy provides a blueprint for the sustainable development and investment in rural Ireland over the five years from 2021 to 2025. It outlines a vision for a thriving rural Ireland that is integral to our national economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing, which is built on the interdependence of urban and rural areas, and which recognises the centrality of people, the importance of vibrant and lived-in rural places, and the potential to create quality jobs and sustain our shared environment.

My Department continues to support communities in rural Ireland and in 2021 over €344 million was invested. Included in this support is the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, which has provided €278 million to projects in rural Ireland since its inception.

Under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, almost €113 million has been approved for more than 1,400 projects across the country since 2016. A New Building Acquisition Measure under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme providing €400,000 per Local Authority has also been introduced this year. The LEADER Programme provided support to 867 projects to the value of over €43 million in 2021. The Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme also provided almost €19 million to support 273 projects last year.

A new €15 million Community Centre Investment Fund has been announced this year and I have increased Local Improvement Scheme funding to €11 million. This brings investment in rural Ireland under the scheme to €90 million since 2017.

My Department will continue to support communities in rural Ireland throughout 2022 and beyond through a range of schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Clár Programme, the Local Improvement Scheme, the Community Centre Capital Fund, the LEADER Transitional Programme, the Community Enhancement Programme, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) and the Community Services Programme.

My Department’s policies and funding programmes aim to deliver sustainable outcomes that positively impact and support urban and rural communities, informed by extensive engagement. This ongoing engagement is vital in monitoring urban and rural community activity and in identifying areas where interventions such as targeted supports or funding are required and responding to the needs of communities.