Cork City Council did not submit an application for funding for the Blackrock-Mahon library under the libraries capital programme 2023-2027 on this occasion. The discussions regarding a potential site had not been concluded before a submission date, which is fair enough. My Department previously advised Cork City Council to consider submitting an application for the Blackrock-Mahon library to the urban regeneration and development fund which is administered by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritag…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 78, 98 and 101 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. Community centres are the cornerstone of community life in towns and villages throughout the country. This Government recognises the important role these centres play in bringing people together and facilitating community services and events. As the Deputies are no doubt aware, I have prioritised the development and enhancement of community centres to improve access and provide suitable places for social gathe…

I will try to answer as many questions as I can. The Department has already allocated €45.8 million and another €20 million to new community centres. In total, that is €65.8 million, a considerable amount. This is a completely new fund. We did not have it before. I have been very passionate about supporting our communities and community centres. Deputies will be aware of the sports capital programme, which is very popular and successful. When I was appointed Minister in 2020, it was a priority of mine, along with t…

I thank Deputy Ó Murchú. The local improvement scheme supports the improvement of rural roads and laneways that are not normally maintained by local authorities. The scheme makes an important contribution to connectivity in rural Ireland. As part of Our Rural Future, the Government is committed to ensuring that the local improvement scheme is funded into the future. The scheme was reintroduced in 2017 following a number of years with no dedicated funding. Between 2017 and 2023, my Department allocated almost €130 m…

I thank the Deputy. In fairness, Louth is one of those counties that does not have a big backlog on its LIS but I accept that the county certainly has an issue with storm damage. I have been up in County Louth myself, as the Deputy knows, out on the Cooley Peninsula, and I saw the scale of the damage that was done there. It is unbelievable when you see the water. It just came down the mountains and ripped up everything. It was terrible. I will be meeting with my officials shortly around LIS allocations for the year…

When it comes to the LIS, there are a lot of hungry mouths and unfortunately I have a limited pot of money available. The need for more money is regularly raised with me in this House. We have invested €100 million since 2017 and it has made a big impact. My Department is continuing to engage with my colleague, the Minister for Transport, regarding his Department contributing to a jointly funded LIS so that we can further address the very high demand under the local improvement scheme, but I understand the difficul…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 77, 92 and 93 together. 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. It supports the Our Rural Future vision for a thriving rural Ireland that is integral to our national economic, social, cultural and environmental well-being and development. A key aim of both town centre first and the Our Rural Future policy is addressing vacancy and dereliction and ensuring that the poli…

I thank the Deputies. There is a lot of work being done right across government to bring vacant and derelict buildings back into use. In the Department of Rural and Community Development, my focus is on utilising those buildings that are not really suitable for housing but can be converted for community use. Under the building acquisition measure, which was a new measure I introduced last year, we gave the funding to the local authorities to purchase the buildings that they identified with local groups so that they…

There has been massive investment right across the country. Deputy Dillon referred to projects in County Mayo. They include an allocation of €245,000 for Ballycastle and, in Balla, which I visited with him, €120,000 was given for upgrading the courthouse. Deputy Tóibín should go around and see what is happening in his constituency. In Enfield, the fine community and enterprise hub received funding of €727,000. I have visited it.

Only a couple of weeks ago, also in Enfield, the old parish hall was purchased for €250,000 for the use of the community.

These allocations are making a huge difference. If the Deputy goes to Trim, he will see a fine library and cultural centre, which has had €4.47 million allocated to it.

Deputy English was very busy making sure those projects advanced. He supported me in that but Deputy Tóibín votes against everything I try to do.

Deputy English supported me in trying to get the funding but Deputy Tóibín criticises me. All he comes in here to do is give out.

The Deputy is talking through his hat most of the time.

The outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, ORIS, is funded by my Department under the document, Our Rural Future. The scheme provides funding for the development and enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways and other amenities at our rivers, beaches, lakes and forests. Since the launch of the scheme in 2016, funding of almost €109 million has supported more than 1,550 projects across the country. County Mayo has been allocated funding in excess of €6.3 million since 20…

I thank the Deputy. As I said, this fund was announced last November. There were a number of successful projects I know the Deputy was very interested in, such as the Killala Bay ships reef project, which received €50,000 and is ongoing. The Cong to Lisloughrey pier recreational trail got another €50,000. These are small schemes by any measure. There is one particularly good one in Deputy Dillon's constituency. In 2020, the Department approved funding of €480,000 to Mayo County Council to deliver the sustainable ac…

I thank the Deputy. I was down at Inch beach and I announced that project. I do not know what is keeping them. They need to move on with it because if they do not spend, the money goes somewhere else. It is an absolutely amazing beach. I heard what was said about the Kilderry to Milltown amenity walk. To go back to Deputy Dillon's question, I have secured an allocation of €16 million for this ORIS as part of budget 2024. This will be a welcome investment across the country. I look forward to reviewing the scheme in…

I thank the Deputy for her question. Public libraries have a key role to play in our cities and towns as hubs for information, recreation and inspiration. They provide welcoming spaces for all as well as access to a wide range of online resources and modern technology. While the provision of library services, including the provision of library buildings, is primarily a matter for local authorities in their capacity as library authorities under the Local Government Act 2001, my Department provides support for the de…

I thank the Deputy and absolutely agree with her. I am a big fan of the libraries just like she is. Her story about bringing her grandchild to the library is great to hear because the library is for everybody. It does not matter if you are young or old, there is something in the library for you. Libraries had the image years ago as slightly boring places, but that is long gone because they are hives of activity in our communities. It would do your heart good to go into one because there is something for everybody. …

I must say I had a good day with the Deputy in Carlow. We travelled around and it was lovely to go to that library. It is an old building that needs to be upgraded. As I say, applications are being assessed and I hope to be in a position to make an announcement shortly. I hope Carlow is successful. I have not had sight of what has come through, to be honest, because applications are independently assessed. A lot of things happen in the library and it is bringing new life into the centre of our towns, which is impor…