Ryan O'Meara (Tipperary North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

552. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason a group (details supplied) did not receive funding through the CLÁR Programme recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68654/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The CLÁR programme provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. The 2025 CLÁR programme had an application process across 3 measures.

Measure 1 provides funding for community facilities and amenities and accounts for the majority of the funding under the programme. Measure 2 provides funding for vehicles to support the transport of people with reduced mobility, community first responders and meals on wheels organisations. Measure 3 is targeted at our island communities.

Last week I announced funding of almost €12 million for 198 projects under Measure 1 in addition to €356,000 for 8 island projects under Measure 3. This included funding of €465,369 for 9 Measure 1 projects in Tipperary. This was in addition to funding for two projects under Measure 2 in Tipperary earlier this year. This brought the total CLÁR funding allocated to Tipperary this year to €576,751.

Under the terms of the scheme, Tipperary County Council was entitled to submit a list of 15 applications under Measure 1 to my department. These lists of applications are submitted to my department in a prioritised order which is decided at local authority level.

The application from the group referenced by the Deputy was submitted to my department for consideration for funding. However, given the level of funding available and the interest in the programme, not all projects were funded. This application was not sufficiently high on the priority list submitted by the local authority to be allocated funding.

This year was the highest level of funding awarded under CLÁR since it was relaunched in 2016.

Notwithstanding that, I understand that some groups will be disappointed. I would advise such groups that the scheme will be launched again in the new year and that there are also a range of other funding opportunities available from my Department. Details of these schemes are on my Department’s website.