Written Answers Nos. 1-18
7. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of the progress in relation to repairs and works to be carried out on the piers for the Islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8369/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the relevant Local Authorities are responsible for the maintenance and development of pier infrastructure on our offshore islands.
In County Galway, the Deputy will be familiar with the plans for the development of the piers on Inis Oírr and Inis Meáin, which are included in the National Development Plan.
With regards to Inis Oírr, Galway County Council published the Compulsory Purchase Order for the land required for construction of the pier in December 2022. At a meeting with officials from my Department earlier this week, engineers from the Council advised that they are currently finalising the documents for the construction tender with a view to their being ready for publication as soon as possible once the CPO is confirmed.
As for Inis Meáin, the digital simulation of the current pier was completed last year. The next step will involve Galway County Council completing an updated feasibility study and strategic assessment of options, in line with the Public Spending Code. There are also plans to undertake dredging work at Cé an Chóra in Inis Meáin, and Galway County Council has applied for a Foreshore Licence and a Dumping at Sea Licence to undertake this work.
In Co. Donegal, there are plans for the redevelopment of Machaire Rabhartaigh (Magheraroarty) pier serving Toraigh and other islands. In 2022 my Department allocated funding for an environmental and marine study at Machaire Rabhartaigh Pier and work was also funded by my Department on the piers at Tory and Inishirrer.
In County Mayo, my Department allocated funding in 2022 for repairs and maintenance on Roonagh Pier, as well as funding a strategic development proposal for the Pier. Mayo County Council is currently finalising this proposal. My Department also funded work at Doran’s Point serving Inis Bigil in 2022.
Finally, in County Cork, my Department funded repair works at both Sherkin Pier and East Pier on Heir Island in 2022.
8. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the constituency of Cork east will receive funding under the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme. [9273/23]
View answerMy Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.
My Department's Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme. The current programme began on 1 January 2018 and will run until the end of 2023. The programme provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies.
SICAP is managed at a local level by 33 Local Community Development Committees, with support from local authorities. It is implemented nationally by 46 Local Development Companies across 51 Geographical areas (Lots).
I was delighted to secure an increase of €1.3 million under Budget 2023, increasing the annual funding from €43 million to €44.3 million. And additionally, €10 million is being provided under SICAP from Budget 2023 to allow Local Development Companies (LDCs) to continue to support arrivals from the Ukraine.
The constituency of Cork East extends over two SICAP Lot areas covered by Avondhu Blackwater Development and South and East Cork Area Development. These have been allocated funding to administer the SICAP Programme across their Lots and have been providing support under the current and previous SICAP programmes to eligible beneficiaries within the constituency of Cork East.
9. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will provide an update on the Streetscape Enhancement Initiative for Ballyconnell, County Cavan. [9231/23]
View answerThe Streetscape Enhancement Measure was introduced in 2021 as part of the commitment under Our Rural Future, Ireland's rural development policy.
The Measure is delivered under the umbrella of the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, and aims to improve the visual appearance of our urban streetscapes, which will bring about growth and increase confidence in our towns and villages. In line with the Government's Town Centre First Policy, such investment will help make rural towns across the country more attractive places in which to live, work or visit.
Under the 2022 Streetscape Enhancement Measure €2.6 million was made available to improve the visual appearance of our urban streetscapes. In County Cavan, Ballyconnell was selected by Cavan County Council to benefit from this funding.
Cavan County Council was allocated €100,000 to transform the visual appearance of 35 premises within the town of Ballyconnell. Works to be carried out include green enhancements, painting and murals, and the replacement of signage, canopies and lighting.
Cavan County Council have until 31 August 2023 to have these works completed.
More generally under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, I was delighted last December to confirm details of a funding packing €27 million across the various strands of the 2022 Town and Village Renewal Scheme. This brought the total funding under the 2022 Scheme to €28.5 million, which represented the largest investment under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme to date, and included a range of projects across County Cavan.
I am committed to ensuring that the range of capital investment schemes operated by my Department will continue to support the revitalisation of rural towns and villages across the country.
12. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of community groups in counties Cavan and Monaghan that are in receipt of funding under the Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme. [9232/23]
View answerMy Department's mission is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland.
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), is our country’s primary social inclusion programme. The current programme began on 1 January 2018 and will run until the end of 2023. The programme provides funding to tackle poverty and social exclusion at a local level through local engagement and partnerships between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies.
SICAP is managed at a local level by 33 Local Community Development Committees, with support from local authorities. It is implemented nationally by 46 Local Development Companies across 51 Geographic areas (Lots). I was delighted to secure an increase of €1.3 million under Budget 2023, increasing the annual funding from €43 million to €44.3 million. A further €10 million is being provided under SICAP from Budget 2023 to allow Local Development Companies to continue to support arrivals from the Ukraine.
The programme has two goals centred around supporting communities and individuals to engage in issues affecting their lives and in the provision of support for lifelong learning and labour market opportunities.
From 2018 to date, a total of 137 groups have been supported under SICAP in Co. Cavan, of which 32 groups received financial support. In Co. Monaghan, a total of 104 groups have been supported under SICAP, of which 8 groups received financial support.
13. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will outline the funding programmes available to men’s and women’s sheds from her Department. [8588/23]
View answerMy Department provides a range of supports which are available to both Men's and Women’s Sheds, depending on the works being completed.
Last November, I was delighted to announce funding of €800,000 to support Men’s Sheds throughout the country. The initiative will see grants of up to €2,000 provided to over 400 Men’s Sheds nationwide to assist them with running costs such as electricity or insurance bills.
The individual grants will be distributed to the over 400 Men’s Sheds via its representative body, the Irish Men’s Sheds Association (IMSA). Men’s Sheds should contact the IMSA for further details.
This funding complements the €100,000 ring-fenced funding I announced last October to support the growing network of Women’s Sheds.
Separately, Men's and Women’s Sheds can also apply for funding under the Community Support Fund (CSF) which I launched last November. This €10m fund was set up to help small community groups with their energy/running costs but will also provide funding for small capital works projects. The fund is being administered by Local Community Development Committees on behalf of my Department and interested groups should contact their local Local Community Development Committee directly for further information.
15. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 401 of 19 January 2023, the date on which the new policy for the islands will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9083/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware from our previous discussions on this matter, as Minister with responsibility for the islands, I am determined to deliver on the Government commitment to publishing an islands policy.
This is a commitment that I have made to this House and indeed to the Island Communities, publicly and during my visits to the islands, and is set out in both the Programme for Government and in the rural development policy, Our Rural Future, which I published almost two years ago.
The Deputy will understand from her own constituency that our island communities are unique and, while they face many of the same challenges as their counterparts on the mainland, their experience can be quite different due to the added complexity in accessing even the most basic services.
This idea of developing an islands policy is to try and get an all of Government approach by bringing together the various stakeholders across Government Departments and State bodies, and put together a more co-ordinated approach to the islands.
The establishment of the inter-Departmental committee, chaired by my Department, is just one part of the jigsaw. The extensive public consultation with island communities gave them an opportunity to set the agenda and forms the basis of development for this policy. I believe the policy alone is not enough - it needs a solid action plan, and that's where we are now.
It is taking longer than we had hoped but I really believe it is important to get meaningful actions into this plan. I've gone back to my officials to look for stronger actions, and I'll be pushing my Government colleagues on this too when I bring it to the Cabinet committee.
16. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if her Department has assessed the potential for the rural economy of the development of circular economy strategies; and the extent to which initiatives with a focus on more sustainable use of products and materials, and on recovery and reuse are figuring among projects receiving support from her Department. [8133/23]
View answerA vibrant circular economy should be seen as an essential part of developing a sustainable, climate neutral, resource efficient and competitive economy. The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications recently published the first whole-of-Government Circular Economy Strategy and my Department has been playing its part in promoting the opportunities available in the circular economy.
This aligns with Our Rural Future, the national rural development policy, which recognises the benefits for rural areas of transitioning to a more circular model.
Social enterprises are particularly important players in the Circular Economy and are often the only enterprises handling certain goods or materials, while providing quality training and job opportunities. The continued implementation of the National Social Enterprise policy, and the development of its successor, will underpin our support for these social enterprises.
The Community Services Programme, or CSP, supports some 420 community-based organisations to provide local social, economic and environmental services through a social enterprise model. There are currently 30 organisations supported by CSP that provide recycling, food bank, horticulture and other services related to the circular economy. This includes a three-year pilot initiative for the provision of high quality up-cycled bicycles and e-bikes for those on low incomes and/or those who are most marginalised and disadvantaged which was launched by DRCD in collaboration with the Department of Transport.
The 2023-2027 LEADER programme also recognises that there is significant potential for employment opportunities for rural areas presented by the green economy and will provide funding to support circular and bio economy projects.
Collectively, I believe these measures will play an important role in supporting the development of the circular economy.
17. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if she will consider a reform of the funding model for the local improvement scheme, in view of the unsustainably long waiting lists in counties such as Kerry, notwithstanding the substantial provision of funding to County Kerry in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9268/23]
View answerThe Local Improvement Scheme 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 residents, whether it be access to homes, farms or outdoor amenities. Since 2017, my Department has allocated almost €114 million to the scheme. This has upgraded some 3,700 non-public roads and lanes benefiting over 16,000 landowners and residents in these rural areas.
From 2017 to 2022, a total of €6.2 million was allocated to County Kerry which saw improvement works carried out on 173 roads. This is the fifth highest allocation nationally.
My Department reviews the scheme criteria each year prior to launch including the mechanism for funding allocation. The prioritisation of roads for submission to my Department is a matter for each local authority in line with the Scheme Outline.
I launched the 2023 scheme earlier this month with an increase in the base funding to €12 million. I also announced an addition €0.55 million for improvement works on our offshore Islands. Within this funding, I allocated almost €800,000 to County Kerry bringing their total allocation since the scheme was reintroduced to over €7 million.
I will continue to closely monitor expenditure patterns this year in my Department and should savings emerge, I will give consideration to again allocating additional funding to the scheme as was seen in 2021 and 2022 where an additional €20.5 million was allocated over the two years.
Finally, I am continuing to engage with my colleague, the Minister for Transport regarding his Department contributing to a jointly funded Locally Improvement Scheme.
