Rural Schemes
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-05
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Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

There are supports available but the Deputy has given me an idea to think about in terms of centralising some of the supports there. In regard to the new-builds in particular, I am anxious to ensure the ones that were announced are up and running. We will take the lessons of those and put them into somewhere for communities to assist in bringing new builds on. The new builds programme is a priority because I understand there are many communities that need a new-build facility. I assure the Deputy it is a priority for me and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, during our term in the Department, that we will have another round of new builds.
The work the Deputy just described is the kind of work that needs to be under way now to prepare for an application process in terms of getting all those pieces together. Many of the new builds we are working on have been done in association with either local authorities or local development companies, which also have the expertise to assist community groups in doing that. I can give the Deputy some information as to what local groups can support in terms of providing that skill and expertise. The Deputy has given me an idea there and we will work on that in regard to a resource for communities.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-05/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:36+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-05