Rural and Community Development | Addressing community investment, grant assistance, and support on local initiatives

To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the degree to which she expects to continue to support community investment throughout County Kildare in 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Bernard J. Durkan T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 15 December, 2022.

To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which she expects to be in position to offer grant assistance to appropriately-qualified groups throughout County Kildare in 2023, with particular reference to the community and voluntary sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Bernard J. Durkan T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 15 December, 2022.

* To ask the Minister for Rural and Community Development the extent to which her Department has identified specific local initiatives in County Kildare worthy of support by her Department since its inception; her ongoing proposals in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

– Bernard J. Durkan T.D.

For WRITTEN answer on Thursday, 15 December, 2022.

REPLY

My Department continues to play a critical role in supporting communities across the country in both rural and urban Ireland, including in County Kildare. The mission of my Department is to promote rural and community development and to support vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland. This mission is set out in our Statement of Strategy 2021 to 2023.

Local community groups and organisations in Kildare have been supported since the establishment of my Department and will continue to be able to access supports next year. Schemes such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Local Improvement Scheme, LEADER, the Community Centre Investment Fund, the Community Services Programme and Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme will all ensure that the communities in Kildare will continue to be supported. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that to date in 2022, County Kildare has been allocated more than €8 million in supports from my Department.

Substantial progress has been made since 2020, in delivering programmes and policy interventions efficiently and effectively for rural Ireland and communities. This has ensured that our existing supports and funding is directed to best support communities. This will continue into 2023.