Over €4 million in funding for rural communities

Minister for Rural and Community Development Heather Humphreys, today (Monday, November 2) announced details of over €4.1 million in funding to support 115 projects in rural communities under the 2020 CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) programme.

This funding will support the provision of safety measures around schools and community facilities, as well as the development of community recreation areas.

CLÁR provides funding for small-scale projects in designated rural areas that have experienced significant levels of population decline.

The programme is one element of the Department of Rural and Community Development’s Rural Development Investment Programme, which provides a package of co-ordinated and complementary supports for rural areas.

The 2020 CLÁR programme places a particular focus on supporting CLÁR communities to deal with the impact of Covid-19 and meeting the needs of communities in these challenging times.

Community funding

Under the funding announced today, almost €3 million will be provided to projects in 84 communities to provide and improve safety infrastructure such as footpaths; public lighting; pedestrian crossings; speed safety signs; and car parking facilities.

It will also help adapt the environs around schools and community facilities to meet the public health requirements arising from Covid-19.

A further €1.18 million is being provided to 31 projects for community recreation areas where people can socialise safely outdoors in line with Covid-19 public health guidelines.

Examples of successful projects announced today include:

Co. Carlow: Ballymurphy Community Group, car park improvements (€49,950);
Co. Galway: Glinsk National School, drop off area and footpaths (€50,000);
Co. Cavan: Mullagh Sports and Community Ground, traffic calming works (€50,000);
Co. Leitrim: Keeldra Lake Amenity, renewal works and seating area (€16,200);
Co. Kerry: IRD Waterville CLG, establish an outdoor recreation space and purchase an outdoor movie system (€49,941).

Minister Humphreys said: “I am delighted to announce over €4 million in funding today under the 2020 CLÁR programme which will benefit 115 communities across the country.

“Since the CLÁR Programme was re-introduced in 2016, it has provided funding to over 1,400 projects under various measures.

The projects announced today will help to improve safety around schools and community facilities in CLÁR areas and help people to socialise in a safe and socially-distanced manner.

“The CLÁR programme supports rural areas that have suffered high levels of population decline.

“It is particularly important at this time that we provide people living in those areas with the infrastructure that will help them to stay in touch with each other, within the parameters of the public health guidelines at any given time,” the minister said.

What is CLÁR?

The CLÁR programme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and forms part of the Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme, which also includes supports under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund; LEADER; the Town and Village Renewal Scheme; the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme; and the Local Improvement Scheme.

These schemes have a combined budget of almost €150 million this year.

The aim of CLÁR is to support the sustainable development of identified CLÁR areas with the aim of maintaining the population of those areas. There are designated CLÁR areas in all counties with the exception of Dublin, Kildare and Wexford.

Minister Humphreys said: “There was a high level of interest in the CLÁR programme once again this year and I am pleased to be able to approve funding for 115 projects around the country under Measures 1 and 2 of the programme.