NEWS

The Minister states: Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for sustainable rural development. It seeks to ensure that all rural areas are attractive for people to live, work and raise their families in. One of the high-level outcomes set out in Our Rural Future is to increase the number of people living in rural areas. Rural population trends, as we discussed earlier, in line with many of the issues addressed by Our Rural Future, require input from across a range

The Minister states: The development and enhancement of community facilities is a priority for me and full details of the capital supports available are on my Department’s website. The community centre investment fund has provided in excess of €109 million since 2022 for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres. Under the 2024 iteration of the fund, more than €33 million has been approved to support refurbishment work

The Minister states: The town centre first policy is a major cross-government policy that aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. Central to the town centre first approach is a range of capital support funding that includes the rural regeneration and development fund and the town and village renewal scheme. Both schemes facilitate the acquisition of buildings for community use and have already delivered landmark projects which ta

The Minister states: The issue of rural isolation, especially among the elderly, is relevant to the work of several Government Departments. It is a complex issue and can undermine the physical and mental well-being of people in both rural and urban settings. Loneliness requires a wide range of responses, including health interventions, community policing, rural transport, which we discussed earlier, tackling social exclusion and addressing disadvantage. Our Rural Future is my

The Minister States: I am aware of the recent reports of rural GAA clubs facing challenges in terms of player numbers and of the importance of such clubs as focal points and hubs for our communities. I am also aware that the GAA itself is committed to working within their communities and at a national level to address such challenges via their National Demographics Committee and their county demographics officers While specific policies and supports for the GAA would fall und

The Minister states: The local improvement scheme is a vital support for rural communities to improve non-public rural roads and local laneways. Since 2017 almost €170 million has been provided by the Government to local authorities under the scheme. I will repeat that figure of €170 million. In April 2024 €40 million in funding was announced for the LIS for all local authorities for 2024 and 2025. While the Department provides funding for the scheme, it is administered by t

The Minister states: This Government recognises and values the many contributions made to society by not-for-profit, voluntary and community organisations across the country. The Department of Rural and Community Development supports the community and voluntary sector through a number of schemes, most notably the community services programme, CSP, the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, and the scheme to support volunteering. The CSP supports 428 commu

Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if she intends to extend the Covid payment scheme beyond June 20 25 ; the number...

Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Health if patients with long-term illness requiring regular blood tests to be taken by...

Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will ensure that the insurance issues pertaining...

Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Justice if the threshold to qualify for legal aid will be reduced; and when this matter...

What plans has the Minister for Social Protection put in place for ensuring that the social welfare system is progressive and empowers...

What plans has the Minister for Social Protection to provide better support to carers who are providing full-time care and attention to...

The social welfare appeals office is responsible for considering and determining appeals of first-instance decisions of the Department's...

Will the Minister for Health review the current situation within the National Ambulance Service where emergency response vehicles have...

Minister for Health states: "Eligibility for a medical card is primarily based on a financial assessment which is conducted by the HSE in...

Minister for Social Protection states the following: The carer’s allowance is the main scheme by which my Department provides income...

Statements on Nursing Home Charges and Disability Allowance Payments

Deputy John McGuinness- speech from 19 Oct 2022 Central Bank (Individual Accountability Framework) Bill 2022