The problems of depopulation and decline in rural areas will be tackled with a €2.34 million scheme under the Clár programme, according to the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Ó Cuiv.
The 2003 Clár Village Enhancement Scheme will help to pay for environmental and heritage work, car parks and children's playgrounds, the Minister said yesterday when he announced details of the scheme.
The village element of the Clár programme was introduced last year, and is co-funded equally by local LEADER groups, along with a community contribution and local authorities.
Projects would "complement, rather than overlap" initiatives funded under the EU's urban and village renewal measure, said Mr Ó Cuiv. Projects which were not strictly related to villages, such as on "inland" islands, river walks and those relating to floodlighting, might be considered.
Clár (which stands for Ceantair Laga Ard-Riachtainais or programme for revitalising rural areas) was introduced by the previous government as a response to the Western Development Commission's "State of the West" study. It was designed to "fast track" National Development Plan spending in areas hit by depopulation.
Under the programme, 16 areas which had lost on average 50 per cent of population in the last 75 years were selected. The Cooley peninsula was also earmarked because of the impact of foot-and-mouth disease.
Among the areas participating in the latest village enhancement scheme will be Arigna, Co Leitrim, Comhar Iorrais in north Mayo, IRD Duhallow in Co Cork, the Rural Resource Development in Co Clare, and the islands represented by Comdhail Oileain na hEireann, the Irish Island Federation.
