Rural Schemes
Dail Éireann — 2026-03-26
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Dara Calleary (FF), Mayo

That is exactly the kind of project we want to do under the RRDF. It is a project that would not have been done previously and for larger towns of 9,000 plus, there is the URDF and its successor scheme. It is important that project is done in conjunction with the community and that there is community engagement in it. One of our challenges with projects such as this is that sometimes the communities may not have been involved at the outset and as the project rolls out, there can be challenges with parking spaces and other issues people need to be informed about. We have a significant investment in what we call our capital delivery team that works with local authorities to deliver on this projects. We also have our own quantity surveyor in the Department. That examines all of the applications to ensure the costings are adequate and relevant to the current market. We also have systematic engagement to ensure delivery. There is no point in the Minister of State and I announcing projects such as that in Charleville unless they happen. We will be with the Deputy in Baile Bhuirne in April for the opening of the Coláiste Íosagáin campus, which is a significant investment. It also shows what can be done in rural Ireland with support from the RRDF and other bodies coming together.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-03-26/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:47+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-03-26