Brian Brennan (Wicklow-Wexford, Fine Gael)
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29. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures being taken to evaluate how grant funding from his Department has been dispersed geographically, and to ensure that areas that have historically received lower levels of funding are targeted to ensure access to future rounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22995/26]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is committed to ensuring that it allocates funding in a fair and transparent manner, and taking account of particular pressures that may arise at national or local level. For 2026 my Department has an overall allocation of €613 million, with €193 million allocated for rural development, €260 million for Community Development, and €160 million for the Gaeltacht and the Islands.

How funding is allocated by my Department differs based on the objectives of the scheme. In general, factors taken into account include, population levels or densities, measures of socio-economic disadvantage or deprivation, ensuring regional balance, and particular national or local pressures relating to the scheme in question.

Many of the Department’s capital funding schemes are administered in co-operation with the local authorities, and community engagement is a key part of developing project plans. This means that for schemes such as Town and Village Renewal, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, and the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF), projects are developed with a strong element of community engagement and are then put forward for funding by local authorities. This ensures that local knowledge and strong participatory structures helps to achieve an equitable share of funding.

With regard to current funding, the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme funding is allocated with a strong emphasis on deprivation metrics within each area. This ensures that those areas with the strongest need receive the most support. My Department also invests in building the capacity of community groups to plan strategically and apply for funding.

In terms of ensuring fair access to funding, my Department recently commenced funding of rural capital delivery teams within local authorities. Part of the work of these teams is to engage and assist communities seeking to develop capital projects. I would also note that under the current RRDF call project proposals based in towns which have not previously been the subject of an RRDF application will receive additional marks under the scoring system. Another examples of fair access to funding is that, following the recent review of CLÁR areas based analysis undertaken for my Department by the All-Island Research Observatory in Maynooth University, 12 Electoral Divisions in Wexford are now eligible for funding for the first time. In Wicklow the number of eligible CLÁR areas has increased from 7 to 9.

My Department will continue to keep its funding under ongoing review to ensure that they remain responsive to emerging needs.