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Minister of State for Regional Economic Development, Michael Ring TD, today (Tuesday) approved €768K, as an initial phase, to community projects in 12 Counties under the Targeted Community Infrastructure Needs measure of the CLÁR programme. The funding will provide support for the renovation and upgrade of community infrastructure in disadvantaged rural areas all over Ireland.
Speaking today, Minister Ring said:
“For many rural communities upgrading and renovation of established community infrastructure is an important part of keeping the communities together. Community halls and other such buildings are places where a diverse range of groups meet and socialise on a regular basis, often in less than ideal surroundings. The funding provided through this measure will support projects such as the renovation of roofing, creation of partition walls to allow for further use of such centers and the upgrading of kitchen and toilet facilities. The funding will also support initiatives such as upgrading and the provision of essential equipment to support economic activity on a number of piers”.
“The initiatives under this measure have come from the communities themselves and are examples of projects that are considered important to those rural communities in providing support to further enhance social inclusion and economic development in their areas ”.
The CLÁR programme is funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and forms part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development.
The funding announced by Minister Ring comes from the allocation of €5 million made available under CLÁR this year. The Minister will announce further allocations under the CLÁR programme shortly.


Notes for Editors
Background
The CLÁR programme (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) is a targeted capital investment programme for rural areas which have experienced significant levels of depopulation. The programme was originally launched in October 2001 but was closed for applications in 2010. The scheme was re-opened by Minister Ring in 2016 to support the development of remote rural areas through small-scale capital projects involving collaboration between Local Authorities and communities. The CLÁR programme funded 651 projects across Ireland in 2016.
Areas targeted under the CLÁR Programme are parts of counties: Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wicklow and all of County Leitrim. A map of CLÁR areas is provided below.
2017 Measures
The 2017 CLÁR programme will provide funding under four Measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Play Areas
Measure 3: Targeted Community Infrastructure Needs
Measure 4: First Response Support Measure
The programme is funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs under the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development.

Breakdown of allocations by county
The breakdown of the allocations made under the Targeted Community Infrastructure Needs measure, by county, is provided below.
County Total Funding approved
Carlow €68,760
Donegal €22,110
Galway €5,569
Kilkenny €46,772
Laois €24,374
Leitrim €83,179
Longford €82,829
Mayo €168,530
Monaghan €112,050
Offaly €38,234
Roscommon €36,000
Tipperary €80,468
Total €768,875