Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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160. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the CLÁR 2024 programme will open to applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41748/23]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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. Since the Programme was relaunched in 2016, it has supported a wide range of measures.

Funding of €7.85m has been allocated for the 2023 CLÁR programme an increase of €0.5m on 2022.

I launched the 2023 Programme in March this yearand the measures to be funded are:

• Developing Community Facilities and Amenities (Measure 1)
• Mobility, Cancer Care andCommunity First Responders Transport (Measure 2)
• ‘Our Islands’ (Measure3)

I announced the successful projects under Measure 2 in August 2023. The assessment process is underway for measure 1 and 3 applications and announcements of the successful projects under those measures will be made in the coming weeks.

I hope to launch the CLÁR programme again in early 2024 subject to budgetary discussions and a review of measures to be included.