Parliamentary questions

129. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress which has been made to establish a rural communities initiative, similar to the previous RAPID Thriving Communities Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55998/25]

130. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the Budget 2026 allocation for Water Safety Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55408/25]

131. Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if additional funding will be provided in Budget 2026 for the local improvement scheme in order to improve non-public rural roads and local laneways in rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56045/25]

132. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if any revision of the eligibility criteria for the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund is being considered to ensure more towns can apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55736/25]

133. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for an update on the proposal submitted to Roinn na Gaeltachta (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55766/25]

134. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if implementation update reports will be published on the success of the Town Centres First model Phase 1. [55304/25]

135. 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. [54870/25]

136. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the timeframe for when the next round of funding for category 2 applications of the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55944/25]

137. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aindrias Moynihan den Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir le pleanáil teanga, agus na bailte seirbhíse go háirithe; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [55993/25]

410. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the amount allocated to Monaghan County Council under the local improvement scheme in 2025; and the amount ring-fenced for any specific category of works. [51819/25]

411. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the level of funding available for community groups for improvements to community centres in Budget 2026; if funding will be made available for new builds in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55459/25]

412. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the funding that has been made available for rural community groups in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55460/25]

413. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to specify what the €3 million allocated to community centres will be used for; the amount that will be used for the provision of community childcare, that is, creche, Montessori, breakfast clubs and after school clubs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56124/25]

414. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the reason funding to the LEADER programme has been cut year-on-year in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 Budgets; which aspects of the programme will be affected by these cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56125/25]

415. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the amount that will be allocated to Men’s and Women’s Sheds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56126/25]

416. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the reason a national loneliness strategy was not considered in Budget 2026; if he is aware that rural isolation is a public health issue; the current allocations for the provision of mental health services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56128/25]

417. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the EU funding opportunities that will be open for application for schemes under his Department and at agencies under his aegis in the next six months and in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56456/25]

418. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will consider bringing forward an amendment to the Charities Act 2009, as amended by the Charities (Amendment) Act 2024, to include explicit provisions requiring all registered charities, including faith-based organisations, to uphold the principles of gender equality and non-discrimination in th…

362. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when the allocation of funding under the local improvement scheme will be announced; if consideration will be given to the various waiting list reports across a number of counties, particularly in County Leitrim where it is anticipated it may take in excess of six years under the average current fu…

363. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when the funding under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55643/25]

364. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his Department is using agentic AI in the delivery of its services or operations; if it is considering the use of agentic AI, and in what contexts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55704/25]

365. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the allocation to subheading A.5 rural and regional supports in the years 2024 and 2025; the measures that this allocation supported; by year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55713/25]

366. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the allocation to subheading A.4 5 rural and regional supports in Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55714/25]

367. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the allocation to the town and village renewal scheme in each of the years 2020 to 2025, and for 2026; the measures that this allocation supported by year, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55715/25]

368. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the allocation to rural regeneration and development fund in each of the years 2020 to 2025, and for 2026; the measures that this allocation supported, by year in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55716/25]