Parliamentary questions

19. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he believes the current powers of the Charities Regulator are sufficient to address issues of accountability and public trust in the sector; if there are plans to expand these powers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68348/25]

20. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the plans which are in place for expanding the walking and trails schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68489/25]

21. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when the next funding round of the Local Enhancement Programme will be open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68387/25]

22. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for an update on the next iteration of Our Rural Future Development Policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68342/25]

23. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his Department provides support to community centres to improve the wheelchair accessibility of their premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68331/25]

24. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to report on progress as part of the Town Centre First policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67798/25]

25. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the funding allocated to date under the Town Centre First initiative for towns in Galway east such as Athenry, Gort and Loughrea; the status of pending applications; his plans to support further regeneration in small towns throughout east Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68442/25…

26. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress his Department has made towards the development of a scheme to tackle urban disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68404/25]

27. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the way in which his Department monitors the impact of the more than €6 million annual investment in Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge; the indicators used to assess learner participation economic benefit in Gaeltacht areas and the effectiveness of scholarships and start up grants for accommodation pr…

28. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to report on the meetings he had regarding the LEADER programme in Strasbourg in November 2025. [68344/25]

29. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when funding will be announced for the local improvement scheme; if additional funding will be provided to improve non-public rural roads and laneways in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66415/25]

30. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for an update on the town and village renewal scheme in Carlow and Kilkenny. [68327/25]

31. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the position regarding supports provided at a local level in community centres targeted at addressing social exclusion; if he will consider increasing funding in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66817/25]

32. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his plans to increase capital investment under the Community Centres Investment Fund for community halls and voluntary groups in rural County Cork, particularly in areas experiencing population growth but limited facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67264/25]

33. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Mairéad Farrell den Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht an míneoidh sé cén uair a bheidh na toghcháin do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta ann; agus an bhfuil sé i gceist na toghcháin a reáchtáil in 2026. [68517/25]

34. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will consider expanding the CLÁR scheme to more areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68328/25]

35. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the number of new community centres opened in 2025 that were built alongside new residential developments and included in the original plans. [67572/25]

36. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in line with the objectives of "Our Rural Future", the specific, measurable interventions his Department will implement in County Mayo over the next 12-months to support the retention of young families and combat depopulation, specifically in the areas of facilitating the development of affordable comm…

37. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will consider applications from rural communities who wish to convert their derelict buildings, schools or other old buildings into rural community libraries and study places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68384/25]

38. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the measures he is taking to support youth work in Gaeltachta areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68490/25]

39. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the average annual allocation to LEADER scheme, by programme; since 2007. [68486/25]

40. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the support his Department is providing to the public library network. [68345/25]

41. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the number of community hubs supported by the Government over the past three years where members of the community can work from their local community hub rather than travelling on overcrowded roads to their workplace; the number of such remote working hubs applying for support; and if he will make a state…

42. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will work with on an cross-departmental basis to ensure that there is an adequate supply of early years workers proficient in Irish in Gaeltacht areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68491/25]

43. Deputy Ryan O'Meara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when the next round of the Community Centre Investment Fund will open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68306/25]