I propose to take Questions Nos. 591 and 593 together.
My Department implements a wide range of schemes that have supported thousands of individual capital projects throughout the country in recent years.
Details in relation to supported projects are available on my department’s website.
Across these schemes, projects are delivered by a range of lead bodies who have responsibility for the day-to-day management and delivery of projects. My department is in ongoing engagement with lead bodies to support efficient and effective delivery of projects. These lead bodies include local authorities, local development companies, and LEADER Groups.
For CLÁR, the Town & Village Renewal Scheme, and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme, the scheme terms and conditions generally set out indicative completion dates of around 18-24 months. However, the Department works with lead bodies, to monitor delivery and shows flexibility where it is needed to ensure projects are delivered for communities.
For these schemes, funding approvals are generally granted in the form of maximum agreed grant amounts, with any cost overruns beyond the final agreed amount either met by the applicant or through agreed changes to the project that reduce costs to remain within the agreed amount without significantly impacting the project.
Under the LEADER programme, Local Action Groups (LAGs) receive a multi-annual funding allocation to support projects in their own LEADER area. Grant contributions towards individual projects are approved and monitored by LAGs in each area, and no additional funding is provided by the Department above the approved project allocations.
The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) supports large scale and ambitious capital projects.it is typically expected that approved projects would have a lifecycle of up to 5 years from funding application, through the design and planning process and to construction completion.
While the focus of many of my department's schemes is on rural areas, projects have been supported in areas of Dublin in a number of cases. Individual schemes generally set out eligibility requirements in relation to what areas may qualify for funding. For example, the LEADER programme includes a 'Dublin rural' LAG, while the RRDF is open to all settlements and rural areas with a population of less than 10,000 people which are located outside city boundaries and the Dublin metropolitan area (based on the 2022 census).
The details requested by the Deputy in relation to the schemes referenced are listed in the attached tables. The tables cover the years 2021-2025 and any project completions submitted to my department to date in 20226.
Please note, there were no projects delivered by Údarás na Gaeltachta in Dublin.
Dublin Tables.
