€20 million in funding available for rural towns and villages – English

Friday, 14th April 2017

The Government has announced €20 million in funding for rural towns
and villages as part of the Action Plan for Rural Development

Damien English T.D., Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, and Meath
West Fine Gael T.D. has said this will bring tangible benefits to
people and revitalise rural communities in Meath.

“The funding announced this week by Minister for Arts, Heritage,
Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Heather Humphreys, is great
news for rural Ireland and I strongly encourage Meath County Council
to apply.

“The Town and Village Renewal Scheme is an initiative under the
Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, Realising our Rural
Potential, and is part of a package of national and local support
measures to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland.

The Scheme will be funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage,
Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and administered by the Local
Authorities.

“Fine Gael in Government, is using the resources created by our strong
economy to deliver real benefits to people and communities all across
the country.  The Government’s new Action Plan for Rural Ireland
contains over 270 targeted actions that will help to deliver these
benefits to people here in Meath.

“Up to 300 towns and villages will benefit from funding under the 2017
Town and Village Renewal Scheme, which will be made available through
Local Authorities over the next 15 months to support rural
regeneration.

“The scheme is specifically targeted at rural towns and villages with
populations of less than 10,000. Applications from towns can range
from €20,000 to a maximum of €100,000. Funding of up to €200,000 will
also be considered for a limited number of projects which can deliver
exceptionally strong economic benefit to a town and its outlying
areas.

“A number of towns and villages across Meath were badly affected by
the recession of recent years and part of Fine Gael’s Action Plan will
review planning legislation to allow the change of use of vacant
commercial properties in rural towns and villages. I hope to see this
having an impact on our local towns and villages.

ENDS

English encourages local community groups to apply for newly available CCTV funding

Thursday, 13th April 2017

Meath and Westmeath communities are set to benefit from a new grant
scheme for community CCTV.That’s according to Minister for Housing and
Urban Renewal, Damien English T.D. who was informed by the Minister for
Justice and Equality, Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald, that her Department
has announced a grant-aid scheme to assist community groups with
establishing community-based CCTV systems.

“Under the scheme, eligible community groups can apply for grant-aid
of up to 60% of the total capital cost of a proposed CCTV system, up
to a maximum grant of €40,000. Upon approval of the grant, the
applicant will receive an up-front payment of 50% of the grant with
the balance to be paid when the system is fully operational.

“Some of the key objectives of the Scheme are to enhance existing
policing provision within the community, to assist in the prevention
and reduction of local crime, disorder and anti-social activity and to
increase community involvement in the provision of legitimate,
integrated responses to prevent and reduce crime in local areas in
association with appropriate agencies.

“These CCTV systems will act as a deterrent to anti-social behaviour
and enhance existing policing provision here in Meath and Westmeath.
It is intended that the scheme will run for 3 years with funding of €1
million being made available each year.

“I am delighted to see the Government following through on the
commitments set out in the Programme for Government.

“Fine Gael is committed to continuing to strengthen and update
Ireland’s laws to tackle new and emerging crime trends.

“We will also continue to work with Garda management and the Policing
Authority to implement reforms that will provide greater confidence,
protection, transparency and efficiency to crime reduction, detection
and prosecution, here in Counties Meath and Westmeath.

ENDS

CF patients in Meath and Westmeath to benefit from access to Orkami and Kalydeco – English

Friday, 14th April 2017

Cystic fibrosis patients in Meath and Westmeath are set to benefit
from a new deal between the Health Service Executive and
pharmaceutical company, Vertex, which will see Orkambi and Kalydeco
made available from next month.

The HSE are now working to finalise the contractual terms to make sure
we have the best and most robust deal possible for CF patients and the
healthcare service overall.

Minister Damien English says that the deal announced by Minister for
Health, Simon Harris is a landmark decision for CF patients and their
families. The HSE and Vertex have reached an agreement in principle on
the commercial terms for the supply to Irish patients of Orkambi for
patients aged 12 years an older and for Kalydeco for patients aged 2
to 5 years and for other treatments and age cohorts following market
authorisation in Europe.

“This is great news for CF patients here in Meath and Westmeath. I
know that this has been a particularly difficult time for all cystic
fibrosis patients and their families and hopefully this announcement
gives them some degree of relief and certainty.

“I want to thank my Fine Gael colleague, the Minister for Health,
Simon Harris, and the HSE for bringing this deal to fruition. I know
they have been working hard on this deal for a number of months.

Speaking of the announcement, Minister Harris said, “I was very
pleased to be in a position to bring this news to CF patients and
their families this week.  I hope that it will help to finally put
people’s minds at rest, knowing that the drugs their family and
friends need will be available to them from the beginning of next
month.”

ENDS

Unemployment falling to 6.4% is welcome news, but further to go

Tuesday, 4th April 2017

The CSO has today published monthly unemployment statistics for March
2017 which have been welcomed by Damien English, Minister for Housing
and Urban Renewal and Fine Gael T.D. for Meath West.

“The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continues to fall. In March the
unemployment rate was 6.4% down from 6.6% in February 2017 and down from 8.3%
in March 2016. This means that there were 141,400 persons (83,500 men,
and 57,900 women) classified as being unemployed in March 2017”
Minister English said.

“We have made fantastic progress under the Action Plan for Jobs
nationally, and under our Regional Action Plans locally.  We cannot
pause and we cannot rest until we restore all of the jobs lost in the
recession and create new jobs and new opportunities for our fast
growing population. Jobs and the taxes that come from them are how we
build our society and our vital public services” concluded Minister
English.

ENDS

Community groups and schools in Meath/Westmeath should apply for CLÁR funding- English

Tuesday, 4th April 2017

Community groups and schools in Meath/Westmeath should apply for CLÁR
funding- English

Damien English T.D., Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal and Fine
Gael T.D. for Meath West, has called on community groups and schools
in Meath and Westmeath to apply for funding through the CLÁR programme.

The programme, which has a budget of €5 million this year, forms part
of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development which was
launched in January 2017.

Grants are available for a wide variety of works in rural areas
including playgrounds, car parks, public lighting, bus shelters,
pedestrian crossings, speed safety signs and other safety measures at
schools.

Minister English said: “I would strongly encourage community groups
and schools in Meath and Westmeath to apply for funding through the
CLÁR programme.

“Funding will be made available for safety measures near schools and
other community facilities, as well as funding for play areas.

“The safety measures coupled with funding for playgrounds and
multi-use games areas will assist CLÁR areas to provide safe amenities
for their young people thereby increasing the attractiveness of an
area from both a social and economic perspective”.

“The scope of the programme will also be extended this year to provide
capital funding for innovative, community based projects that do not
qualify for other established schemes.

“Applications must be made through our local authority so I would
encourage groups and schools with an idea or project proposal to make
contact with Meath or Westmeath County Councils.”

Minister English added: “This year my colleague Minister Ring
announced a new initiative under CLÁR to support voluntary
first-response organisations who provide an excellent service in rural
areas, very often under very difficult circumstances.

“This funding will enable them to purchase or upgrade equipment that
is fit for purpose in assisting them in their life-saving activities.”

This is the second round of funding Minister Ring has announced,
having re-opened the CLÁR programme last October. The programme had
been closed for new applications by Fianna Fáil in 2009 which was a
huge loss to rural communities.

CLÁR forms part of a suite of measures introduced by Fine Gael to
support our rural communities. Other important schemes such as the
Rural Recreation programme and Town and Village Renewal Scheme will
also open for applications shortly.

These funding streams are an important part of the Action Plan for
Rural Development, Realising Our Rural Potential, which was launched
by Minister Heather Humphreys in January 2017.

The Plan provides a framework for a co-ordinated approach across
Government to support the economic and social development of rural
Ireland.

ENDS

Note to Editors

The scheme is funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional,
Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and delivered, for the most part, by the
Local Authorities in consultation with local communities. Proposals
will be submitted to the Department for consideration and approval.

Full details of the scheme will be issued to the Local Authorities and
other relevant organisations.