Dara Calleary

I have figures that show that at the end of 2024, 175 roads in Cork were awaiting repair, 264 have been completed since 2017 and 23 will be done in 2025. The full allocation will be used. That gives the Deputy a sense of the demand in Cork, but it is replicated across the country. LIS roads are very much part of my daily work. The scheme is very important to communities. That is why the eligibilit…

I thank the Deputy. This question fits across both of my roles. This Government recognises and values the many contributions made to society by not-for-profit, voluntary and community organisations in Tipperary and I commend the Deputy's work in this space. The Department of Rural and Community Development supports the community and voluntary sector through a number of schemes, most notably the c…

Despite all our GAA talk, we had managed to avoid last weekend until the Deputy's intervention. That suited me anyway. We have made announcements this week under the growing social enterprise fund. Borrisoleigh Community Centre in Tipperary has been awarded €15,000 for solar panel installation. Canon Hayes Recreation Centre, with which the Deputy is familiar, has been awarded €11,559; Cloughjorda…

The schemes do superb work. I compliment the Deputy and all the volunteers who run them and are on the boards. I have the report into the future of the rural social scheme, which I am considering at the moment. We will be making some announcements imminently around that. Again, on making it easier to get participants, I believe, as I have discussed with the Deputy previously, that the schemes hav…

The issue of rural isolation, especially among the elderly, is relevant to the work of several Government Departments. It is a complex issue and can undermine the physical and mental well-being of people in both rural and urban settings. Loneliness requires a wide range of responses, including health interventions, community policing, rural transport, which we discussed earlier, tackling social ex…

The Deputy makes a good suggestion and we will certainly look at it. The potential in the new Our Rural Future document is there to highlight rural isolation and what is happening. I encourage Deputy McCormack to attend the new in-person public consultation event on 17 June in Tullamore for Our Rural Future. As I said, we have a range of schemes and there are schemes within the Department. For in…

There is nothing I disagree with in either Deputies approach. I met the postmasters last week and the post office report is a very solid report. It is not only about the post office but about the postmen and postwomen who go out to communities and houses. For many people, this is the only contact they may have, and let us be realistic about it. As I said, through the community services programme,…

I thank Deputy Burke. In his previous role as Minister of State, he did much work on rural isolation and rural loneliness role and I acknowledge that. Regarding the Deputy's question, the development and enhancement of community facilities is a priority for me and full details of the capital supports available are on my Department’s website. The community centre investment fund has provided in ex…

Planning issues are a matter for the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I agree that there should be a community element to all planning decisions. As regards Blarney, we allocated €204,000 in 2021 for the development of the Inch Park amenity. In 2023, €324,000 was allocated. This includes upgrades for the community centre. There was also €125,000 allocated to Glanmire in 2021 f…

In the overall context of any development such as the housing referred to by the Deputy, first it is a matter for the local authority to put the plans in place. It draws down development levies for all of that construction. It should put the plan in place to have that facility developed. My Department will then be more than happy to work with it to identify potential funding opportunities. Part of…

Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for sustainable rural development. It seeks to ensure that all rural areas are attractive for people to live, work and raise their families in. One of the high-level outcomes set out in Our Rural Future is to increase the number of people living in rural areas. Rural population trends, as we discussed earlier, in line with many of the issues addre…

Absolutely. We will work with all the Departments on this. There is no point in us making this level of investment in rural communities unless we can encourage younger people to come back. I share the Deputy's frustration and agree with what he said about educating younger people. We must ensure they have the opportunities to bring them back. I point to the level of investment in Offaly in projec…

As the Deputy says, agriculture is still the core of rural Ireland, not just economically but socially as well in terms of the leadership, skills and supply chain that are provided. I will engage with the farming organisations as we carry out the consultation process on Our Rural Future. We will be looking for their input and support. There have been various iterations of support from my Departme…

I thank the Deputy. As he is aware, CLÁR is a very important funding stream for remote rural areas. In recent years it has funded a vast array of community amenities such as community centres, sporting facilities, playgrounds, sensory gardens and walking trails. As we already discussed, it is also a growing source of funding for vehicles to transport people with disabilities and to allow people to…

I agree with the Deputy about that kind of funding. We will be looking at that from 2026 onwards. We have already funded sensory parks under CLÁR and we will continue to do that. We have also funded the upgrading and replacement of many facilities across the country, including in Mayo, to make equipment more suitable for children with disabilities and communities with disabilities. When local auth…

I would point out that, as the Deputy is aware, there is substantial current investment by my Department in Ballyhaunis through RRDF projects, the regeneration of a number of properties and the town centre management. I am very aware of the issues raised by the Deputy and I do not want any diminution of services in any part of the county. There is substantial investment under way in the fabric to …

It is great to see such cross-party co-operation across the two different constituencies. Launched in 2022, the town centre first policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. TCF supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland by setting out the scaffolding and framework to facilitate and re…

I thank both Deputies. As they acknowledged, there is a town centre first officer in Kildare. The town centre first town plan under phase 1, which was announced in December 2021 for Kildare, includes Clane, and phase 2 includes Castledermot. Through the town centre first town team support funds, we are funding teams in Monasterevin, Kilcullen and Ballymore Eustace to do their work locally. I will …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Tá mé chun freagra a thabhairt as Béarla, tá brón orm. My Department makes a significant annual investment in subsidised transport services to ensure our island communities can avail of reliable, affordable year-round ferry and heavy cargo services. In the case of Oileáin Thoraí, there are four separate subsidised transport services provided for the island at an …

I can assure the Deputy that what we have done is prioritise services into Oileán Thoraí to make sure that they are being delivered, that there is the traditional ferry service and that there is a fast ferry service. They are new services and they are providing a strong service. I have been told there is an issue with Magheraroarty Pier. Donegal County Council was awarded funding to come back wit…

I certainly look forward to the visit but want to be straight with the Deputy that as of now, the intention is to examine those existing services. I will sit down with the Deputy, Deputy Gallagher and the comharchumann to look at it because I want to get a full understanding of it and see for myself how the service works. I will not just go to Magheraroarty; I will go on to the oileán freisin.

I thank Deputy O'Hara for his question on this project. As he will be aware, the RRDF is a major capital investment programme seeking to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. To date, the RRDF has allocated €588 million for 243 projects across the country. A fourth call for category 2 applications was launched in Octob…

I have heard the Deputy's case and I note the project from his question. We have to ensure these projects are done properly. The documents have only been with us since 14 March and there will be engagement on the viability of the project. The core aspect about this specific measure is that it opens up potential funding again. There will be engagement with Galway County Council, which is the promot…

I completely hear the Deputy. Many of the projects we have involve older buildings that people are seeking to repurpose. The process is designed to protect those buildings but also to protect the investment and to ensure that the investment we make at this stage will unlock potential future investment. There is no point in us opening up an expectation in respect of investment that we may not be ab…

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí Dála as na leasuithe seo. Ón uair dheireanach a bhí mé anseo, bhí cruinniú agam le príomhfheidhmeannach Údarás na Gaeltachta agus cathaoirleach Údarás na Gaeltachta faoi chúrsaí tithíochta amháin agus faoi na pleananna a bhí acu agus an plean atá á réiteach acu. Tharla rud agus chaill mé seachtain mar gheall ar rud pearsanta. Mar sin, ní raibh seans agam aon chrui…