LEADER funding has been cut in 2024 and 2025 and now it has been cut in the budget for next year. I would like to know what the rationale is for that and I would like a breakdown of what will be affected by that cut. The cut in LEADER funding for next year is in the order of €10 million. That has to be considered in the broader reconfiguration of CAP happening at European level and the Government's failure - this is bigger than the Department only as it is being led by the Department of agriculture - to come to terms with that and to exert influence at European level to ensure that rural development funding and, indeed, other measures are protected within that reconfiguration. This is also part of a direction of travel here in Ireland where there has been a divestment in rural communities by successive Governments from 2014 on, with changes to the LEADER programme and, as my colleague Deputy Bennett said, year-on-year cuts to funding. It can be dressed up as being about transitional periods and an envelope of funding that lasts but in real terms, we are seeing cuts year on year.
Sentiment score: -0.10
I know the Minister of State is aware of the Déise Women's Shed in Dungarvan. I believe he has met some of its representatives, probably several times at this point. It was one of the first women's sheds in the State alongside the sheds in Naas and Midleton in east Cork. We all know and recognise the social, health and personal development benefits that come from these wonderful social spaces. While I do not want to pre-empt the results of the work plan and the facilitator's report, facilities and space will be key recommendations in it. I know the Minister of State is aware of the situation in Dungarvan, which despite its size has no community centre and no family resource centre. There is a huge limitation on space available to all sorts of community organisations. It is really impacting the ability of the women's shed in particular to recruit and retain members to conduct all the activities that they would like to conduct. It is limiting them. Tá sé ag cur srian ar a gcuid oibre. I ask the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, to do all that they can to facilitate and speed up the process of developing a community centre for Dungarvan.
Sentiment score: 0.07
Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil an tAire an-dáiríre agus tiomanta mar gheall ar an gceist áirithe seo. Tá an plean tithíochta a nochtaigh an tAire tithíochta cúpla seachtaine ó shin lag ina iomlán ach tá sé thar a bheith lag i dtaobh cúrsaí Gaeltachta ach go háirithe. Ba mhaith liom rud éigin a chur ar an taifead anseo. Tá dhá píosa talún sa Rinn, i nGaeltacht na nDéise, ceann amháin gur leis Údarás na Gaeltachta í agus ceann eile gur cheannaigh an chomhairle áitiúil le tamall anuas. Tá na seirbhísí uisce timpeall orthu. Chun a cead a thabhairt d’Uisce Éireann, tá infheistíocht an-mhór curtha isteach aici sa Rinn le cúpla bliain anuas. Tá córas iomlán séarachais nua timpeall air seo agus tá cosáin. An rud atá in easnamh ná toil pholaitiúil ón Rialtas seo chun dul i ngleic leis seo agus tithe a thógáil. Tá an t-údarás áitiúil tar éis iarratas a chur isteach sa Sean Phobal, an dara leathpharóiste i nGaeltacht na nDéise, i gcomhair tithíocht shóisialta. Tá sé sin fós leis an Roinn, cúig bliana i ndiaidh don iarratas dul isteach. Is í sin an fhadhb atá ann i dtaobh an ghéarchéim tithíochta.
Sentiment score: -0.15