Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

More documents

Recommendations

Info

347 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 348[Éamon Ó Cuív.]The essential aim of the Leader+ initiative,which has a public contribution of some \73.7million, is to encourage new approaches to integratedand sustainable development in rural communities.The initiative is in place in 22 areasthroughout the country.The area based rural development initiativehas a public contribution of \75.6 million. Theinitiative complements the Leader+ programmeand ensures the availability of funding in the 13areas that were not appointed to deliver theLeader+ programme. Funding for rural-agritourismis provided from this programme on a nationwidebasis. In addition, the three collectivebodies, Muintir na Tíre, Irish FarmhouseHolidays and Irish Country Holidays that are noteligible under LEADER+, receive assistanceunder this programme.The rural social scheme was introduced in 2004to focus on the provision of direct services in thecommunity and at the same time to ensure anincome for small farmers on long-term social welfarebenefits with a working week compatiblewith farming.There are 1,114 participants on the scheme atpresent. There are 36 implementing bodiesthroughout the country and of those 27 have commencedprojects under the rural social schemeto date.My Department continued to provide supportto rural communities in the past 12 months underthe rural development initiatives of the cross-Border programmes INTERREG IIIA andPEACE II.Under the INTERREG III Ireland-WalesProgramme 2000-2006 there is a rural developmentand diversification measure to promote theeconomic and social well being of the rural communitiesin INTERREG target areas. The totalfunding package for this measure is \10 million,2000-06. To date over 60% of this funding hasbeen committed.The rural initiative measure of theINTERREG IIIA Ireland-Northern IrelandProgramme 2000-2006 aims to develop andstrengthen the rural economy in disadvantagedcross-Border areas. The funding packageamounts to \14 million over the period of theprogramme, 2000-06. To date, \5.9 million hasbeen committed.Funding is also provided in two measuresunder the PEACE II Programme 2000-2004, promotingrural community networking in marginalisedrural communities and rural developmentco-operation and diversification. Thefunding package for both measures amounts to\5.7 million, of which over 60% has beencommitted.The Dormant Accounts Fund DisbursementsBoard, which is currently responsible for overseeingthe disbursement of funds from dormantaccounts, comes under the aegis of my Department.The board is an independent body establishedunder the Dormant Accounts Acts. Fundsfrom dormant accounts are targeted at assistingdisadvantaged groups and communities andassisting persons with a disability. During 2004,the board approved 420 projects for funding totallingapproximately \42 million.APPENDIXThe figures relate to CLÁR expenditure onlyand cover the period 1 February 2004-31January 2005.Group Water Scheme and Group SewerageSchemeCLÁR provides funding to householders inthe group schemes by way of limited top-upgrants. The schemes are selected by the localauthority on foot of applications received fromgroups. Expenditure on group water schemes andon group sewerage schemes totalled \0.044 millionand nearly \0.072 million, respectively.Local Improvement Scheme, LISCLÁR funds LIS roads to provide support forbetter road access to homes in remoter areas.Applicants contact their local authority whoadministers the scheme. The allocation underCLÁR is determined by the level of investmentby the local authority from its county LIS allocation.Expenditure: \2.374 million.Village Enhancement SchemeCLÁR supports the joint village enhancementscheme operated by the Leader companies andthe local authorities covering small-scale infrastructuralprojects. Applicant villages, which alsocontribute to the scheme, contact their localLeader group. Expenditure: \0.318 million.Local Authority Housing Estate EnhancementSchemeCLÁR and the local authorities co-fund a localauthority housing estate enhancement schemewith a local contribution per project, which areselected by the local authority. Expenditure:\0.224 million.Bi-lingual Signage SchemeCLÁR and Foras na Gaeilge jointly fund abilingual signage scheme for community projectsin villages selected by Leader under the villageenhancement scheme. A bilingual townland signagescheme also operates with funding from thelocal community. Expenditure: \0.032 million.Top Up Scheme Sports Capital GrantsCLÁR provides limited top up funding to projectsthat are selected under the sports capitalgrants scheme run by the Department of Arts,Sport and Tourism and recommended for CLÁRsupport by that Department. Expenditure:\0.850 million.
349 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 350Gaeltacht Sports and Community GrantsCLÁR provides limited top up funding to projectsin Gaeltacht areas supported by the Gaeltachtdivision of the Department of Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs under its the Gaeltachtimprovement scheme. Expenditure: \0.131million.Community InitiativesCommunity based projects attracting less than50% public funding under Leader may qualify forCLÁR top-up funding subject to the certain conditions.Applicant villages contact their localLeader group. Expenditure: \0.256 million.School Outdoors Play Facilities EnhancementSchemeThis scheme aims to improve outdoor playfacilities in small rural primary schools in CLÁRareas and is co-funded by CLÁR and the Departmentof Education and Science up to 75% of thecost, supplemented by a 25% contribution fromlocal sources. Expenditure: \0.297 million.Question No. 41 answered with QuestionNo. 7.Question No. 42 answered with QuestionNo. 18.Question No. 43 answered with QuestionNo. 10.Question No. 44 answered with QuestionNo. 6.Question No. 45 answered with QuestionNo. 10.Rural Development.46. Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views onthe recently published review of enterprise supportin rural areas; if he intends fully to supportthe implementation of its recommendations interms of his Department’s role in rural development;and if he will make a statement on thematter. [5818/05]Minister for Community, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs (Éamon Ó Cuív): The review ofenterprise support in rural areas was launched on17 January 2005 at my Department’s nationalrural development forum.With my colleagues, the Minister forEnterprise, Trade and Employment and the Ministerfor Arts, Sport and Tourism, whose areas ofresponsibility are also covered in the report, I amnow examining the recommendations.Decisions on implementation will, as appropriate,take account of the wider policy contextand the operations and enterprise support strategiesof development agencies.I will also be taking account of the ruralenterprise report in the context of the post-2006EU rural development programmes. The provisionsof the draft EU regulation, which willapply to the period 2007-2013, include diversificationof the rural economy through, for example,development of micro-enterprises and rural tourism.Implementation will be through a localdevelopment strategy based on the Leader methodology.The negotiations on the details of howthese arrangements, including funding, are to beimplemented continue at EU level.Irish Language.47. Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs his views onthe development of an Irish language radiostation for young persons; if he intends to progressthis project; and if he will make a statementon the matter. [5819/05]Minister for Community, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs (Éamon Ó Cuív): The Broadcasting Commissionof Ireland, BCI, recently conducted a surveyto determine the level of interest among theyounger generation in Irish language radio programmes.The survey was co-funded by the commission,my own Department and by Foras naGaeilge. The BCI published the results of the surveyon 20 January 2005 and I intend to discussthose results with the relevant parties in thenear future.As I have already outlined to the House, thisissue was brought forward in the context of thereport of Coimisiún na Gaeltachta and in subsequentdiscussions by the advisory committeeestablished by me to advise in regard to practicalactions to implement the recommendations of thecommission. Responsibility for the overall issueof establishing any such radio service on anational basis would rest with the Minister forCommunications, Marine and Natural Resources.Health Services.48. Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he willelaborate on his recent announcement regardingthe provision of speech and language therapy forIrish speaking children in Gaeltacht schools; andif he will make a statement on the matter.[5804/05]Minister for Community, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs (Éamon Ó Cuív): I announced on 23January 2005 that I had approved the provisionof \87,000 to the Health Service Executive to cofinanceon a 50:50 basis the appointment of threeIrish-speaking speech and language therapists inorder to improve the level and nature of thespeech and language therapy services provided inGaeltacht areas.The arrangements surrounding the recruitmentand deployment of these therapists to the besteffect is a matter for the Health Service Executivein co-operation with the Department of Healthand Children, as appropriate. I understand thatdiscussions have already taken place on theseissues.
Page 1 and 2: 337 Questions— 22 February 2005.
Page 5: 345 Questions— 22 February 2005.
Page 57 and 58:
449 Questions— 22 February 2005.
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
Page 63 and 64:
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
Page 71 and 72:
Page 73 and 74:
Page 75 and 76:
Page 77 and 78:
Page 79 and 80:
Page 81 and 82:
Page 83 and 84:
Page 85 and 86:
show all

Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?