Written answers
Tuesday, 16 April 2024
Department of Rural and Community Development
Rural Schemes
Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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775. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if value for money reviews are carried out on local improvement scheme allocations to local authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16557/24]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Local Improvement Scheme (LIS) supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the LIS is funded into the future.
The Scheme was reintroduced by my Department in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. I am committed to improving connectivity for rural and island residents, whether it be access to homes, farms or outdoor amenities. Between 2017 and 2023 my Department has allocated almost €130 million to local authorities under the Local Improvement Scheme. This has upgraded, up to the end of 2023, over 4,000 non-public roads and lanes which has benefitted almost 20,000 landowners and residents in these rural areas.
While my Department provides funding for the Scheme, it is administered by each local authority, who are responsible for the selection and prioritisation of roads, and the procurement and tender process in line with Public Spending Code guidelines. As such, local authorities have put in place their own structures and procedures for ensuring that costs incurred represent a convincing value for money proposition, and that the investment is commensurate with the benefits that the improved roads will provide.
Internally within my Department, the operation of the Scheme is reviewed each year and the process for allocating funding is thoroughly examined to ensure that funds are distributed in such a way as to ensure that local authorities fully use their given allocations to complete repair works on as many eligible roads as possible. Any underspend identified at year end is returned to the Department. My Department, in recent years, has applied penalties to those local authorities with high underspends and will continue to closely monitor expenditure to ensure LIS funding is fully utilised by each local authority. Additionally, LIS funding is also subject to the range of control and evaluation procedures implemented by my officials such as the annual programme of on site inspections and the rolling series of internal audit reports.
I intend to announce the 2024 scheme imminently. My officials will contact local authorities regarding the details of the scheme as soon as it is announced.
Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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776. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development if there is an education and or advice scheme that focuses on good corporate governance that volunteer organisations can avail of. [16562/24]
Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party)
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I am immensely proud that my Department leads on supporting volunteering and implementing the National Volunteering Strategy 2021-2025. The Strategy was approved by Government and launched in December 2020. It is a whole of government framework to support the voluntary sector. Its purpose is to recognise, support and promote the unique value and contribution volunteers make to Irish society.
The Strategy comprises a suite of policy and strategic initiatives led by the Department of Rural and Community Development to support volunteers, their representative groups and a range of not-for-profit organisations in community development, local development, social enterprise, and community and voluntary sectors. There are five strategic objectives set out in the Strategy, with 56 associated actions.
My Department provides funding to Boardmatch to implement action 52 of the National Volunteering Strategy, which is to provide training on good governance to volunteer board members, as well as a matching service to recruit new board members. Boardmatch provides a range of fully accredited governance training courses, which are open to voluntary organisations and new and existing volunteer Board members and Trustees, so that people being appointed to Boards are better trained and have the knowledge and skills to comply with their statutory obligations whilst leading not-for-profit organisations in developing and delivering their strategic plans. Training provided by Boardmatch includes CEO and Chair training, Financial Governance, Trustee Training, Cyber Risk Management, Board Culture, and Governance Refresher courses.
My Department also funds a number of other organisations involved in providing training and other supports to volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations. In this regard, for example, funding is provided to Carmichael each year to support their Good Governance Awards. This is a national initiative led by Carmichael that promotes, recognises and encourages adherence to good governance practice by non-profit organisations in Ireland. Funding is also provided to Volunteer Ireland to provide a wide range of training courses on relevant areas to volunteers, Volunteer Centres and volunteer-involving organisations nationwide.
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