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Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, today announced details of €340,000 in funding to support 45 projects in rural communities under the 2020 CLÁR programme.
The programme provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in rural areas that have experienced significant levels of population decline.
The funding announced by the Minister, which is being provided under Measure 3(a) of the CLÁR programme, will enable community-based organisations which deliver Meals on Wheels and linked services to purchase equipment and make adaptations to existing vehicles to support the provision of their services.
This is a new initiative under CLÁR for 2020 in recognition of the critical role played community groups in responding to COVID-19, with a particular focus on those groups providing Meals on Wheels services.
Examples of some of the organisations include:
Speaking today Minister Humphreys said :
“I am delighted to announce funding of almost €340,000 under the CLÁR programme which will benefit 45 organisations across the country. These organisations are at the heart of our rural communities and are providing an invaluable service in areas that are often quite remote.
“The support that we are providing to organisations in the provision of Meals on Wheels and linked services is of particular importance this year in light of the many challenges arising from COVID-19.
"These organisations are an important lifeline for people living in their own homes, and they play an important role in combating rural isolation for many people. The funding announced today will help many organisations to continue to deliver their vital services as we continue to deal with COVID-19.”
Today’s announcement is in addition to funding of €4.1 million for 115 projects which the Minister announced on 2 November 2020 under Measures 1 and 2 of CLÁR. Over 1,500 projects have been funded under CLÁR since the programme was reintroduced in 2016.
A List of successful projects can be found here.
The CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) programme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and is one element of the Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme which provides a package of co-ordinated and complementary supports for rural areas under Project Ireland 2040.
CLÁR is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that provides 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 supporting people to continue to live and work in 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 announced in May 2020 with applications invited under 3 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 3(a) and the previously announced successful projects under Measure 1 and 2 can be found here.
Successful projects under Measure 3(b) will be announced shortly.