Written answers
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Department of Rural and Community Development
Departmental Funding
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1757. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding provided for the present Leader programme; the funding provided for the previous programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1946/25]
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1758. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding provided for the present Cavan Leader programme; the funding provided for the previous programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1947/25]
Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1759. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the level of funding provided for the present Monaghan Leader programme; the funding provided for the previous programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1948/25]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1757, 1758 and 1759 together.
The LEADER Programme is a key intervention of Our Rural Future, the Government’s Policy for rural development which aims to deliver a range of actions to rural communities over the lifetime of the policy. It supports a broad range of activities which aim to respond to the diversity of the local needs of our rural areas.
It is delivered through Local Action Groups (LAGs) across rural Ireland. A feature of the LEADER programme is that it is based on a community-led, bottom-up approach to rural development.
The LEADER programme is co-financed by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), through the European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). The budget for the CAP for the period 2021-2027 forms part of the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), or the EU Budget for that period.
The total amount of funding allocated to the LEADER programme for the period of 2021-2027 is €250 million.
This funding is made up of €70 million for the Transitional LEADER programme for the years 2021 and 2022, with the remaining €180 million allocated for the period 2023-2027, maintaining the level of funding for the programme in line with the €250 million allocated for the corresponding 7 year period of the 2014-2020 LEADER programme.
The funding is allocated to the LAGs at the outset of the programme to provide them with greater flexibility managing their budgets over the programming period. Funding is then paid out by my Department as costs are incurred and claims for payment are submitted.
I am confident that the level of funding allocated for the 2021-2027 programming period will be sufficient to meet the demand for grant funding from rural communities and businesses.
Details of the allocation of funding provided for Cavan and Monaghan, under the 2014-2020 LEADER Programme, the Transitional Programme covering 2021-2022, and the 2023-2027 LEADER Programme are provided in the below table.
Cavan | Monaghan | |
---|---|---|
Total 2014 - 2020 LEADER allocation | €8,522,286 | €7,592,720 |
Total 2021 - 2027 LEADER allocation, of which | €8,888,387 | €8,229,081 |
· Transitional (2021 - 2022) allocation | €2,517,948 | €2,243,303 |
· 2023 - 2027 LEADER allocation | €6,370,439 | €5,985,778 |
Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1760. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide an update on the provision of community recognition fund to Louth County Council; when a decision on applications will be made; when the funds will be provided for distribution by Louth County Council to successful groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1986/25]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
The Community Recognition Fund (CRF) was first introduced in 2023 to recognise the huge efforts made by communities in welcoming and supporting people coming to Ireland. Through the 2023 allocation, funding of €50 million was approved for some 900 projects. I was delighted to announce a further €50 million in funding under the CRF on March 15th last.
Applications under the current round of funding can be submitted by local authorities across three phases, so as to allow flexibility and adequate engagement and collaboration at a local level. The closing date for receipt of applications under phase 1 was May 31st last, with the second phase closing on September 30th, 2024 and the third phase extended until 28th February, 2025.
Under this new round of funding in 2024, Louth has been awarded an allocation of €1,317,173 which brings the total allocation provided to Louth County Council under the CRF to over €2.8 million.
Local authorities are required to engage and collaborate with communities to identify the most appropriate projects for support. It is a matter for each local authority to identify the most appropriate locations for funding based on their analysis of the level of arrivals in each location and in the context of previous funding supports wand local needs.
On August 2nd, €16.5 million to deliver 185 community projects across the country was announced under phase one of CRF 2024. My Department did not receive any proposals under phase one from Louth County Council.
My Department is currently assessing applications under phase 2 of CRF 2024 including those from Louth. It is expected that the successful projects will be announced in the coming weeks, and funding is then provided as the works are completed.
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
1761. To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the towns within Kerry that were funded for works under the rural regeneration and development fund in the years 2019 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1997/25]
Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a strategic capital investment fund that is key to the delivery of Ireland's rural development policy, Our Rural Future 2021-2025. RRDF provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns, villages and rural areas across Ireland. Funding is allocated to local authorities and other State-funded bodies, who take the lead role in individual projects.
Calls for applications to the Fund are sought under two categories – Category 1 and Category 2. Category 1 relates to large scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place and which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for Category 1 applications.
In Kerry, since 2019, funding of €15.9m has been allocated to ten projects, which are detailed in the table below.
Year Funding Awarded | Call | Category | Project Name | Location | Total RRDF Funding |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 1 | 2 | Dingle Workhouse Masterplan | Dingle | €415,000.00 |
2019 | 1 | 2 | Baile na Fheirtéaraigh Development | Baile na Fheirtéaraigh | €292,500.00 |
2019 | 1 | 2 | Úibh Ráthach Action Plan | Gaeltacht Uíbh Ráthach, Iveragh Taskforce | €175,000.00 |
2019 | 2 | 1 | Listowel Food Hub | Listowel | €1,670,550.00 |
2020 | 2 | 2 | Cahersiveen Town Centre Regeneration Project | Cahersiveen | €2,056,380.00 |
2021 | 3 | 1 | Gteic Uíbh Ráthaigh | Iveragh Peninsula | €2,467,151.50 |
2022 | 3 | 2 | Listowel 'Where Stories Begin' | Listowel | €729,304.00 |
2022 | 3 | 2 | Killorglin Town Centre SMART Rural Regeneration Project | Kilorglin | €961,800.00 |
2024 | 5 | 1 | Cahersiveen Town Centre Regeneration Project | Cahersiveen | €6,460,780.80 |
2024 | 5 | 1 | Kilorglin Town Centre Smart Regeneration Project | Kilorglin | €672,000.00 |
No comments