Press release
Minister Humphreys announces over €4.1 million in CLÁR funding for rural schools and communities
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Rural and Community Development
Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today announced details of over €4.1 million in funding to support 115 projects in rural communities under Measure 1 and Measure 2 of the 2020 CLÁR 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.
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, and to help adapt the environs around schools and community facilities to meet the public health requirements arising from COVID-19 (Measure 1).
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 (Measure 2).
Examples of successful projects announced today include:
Speaking today, 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 added :
“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. I know this funding will help to improve the quality of life for people in many rural communities.
I also hope to make further announcements under Measure 3 of the CLÁR programme shortly.”
The CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) 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.
CLÁR is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that aims to provide funding for small projects in areas that have experienced significant depopulation in the past. 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.
CLÁR funding works in conjunction with local funding and on the basis of locally identified priorities. Originally launched in 2001 but closed for applications in 2009, the CLÁR Programme was reintroduced in 2016.
The 2020 CLÁR programme was launched in May 2020 with applications invited under three separate Measures:
Measure1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Community Recreation Areas (new for 2020)
Measure 3: Community Wellbeing Support
(a) Meals on Wheels and linked services (new in 2020)
(b) Mobility and Cancer Care Transport,
Details of the successful projects under Measure 1 and 2 can be here.
Successful projects under Measure 3 will be announced in the coming weeks.