“Today’s funding announcement by Mr. Éamon Ó Cuív T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will enable much needed improvement works to be carried out on eleven non-country roads in CLÁR areas”, explained Minister Killeen.

He commented that the funding announcement underlined the Government’s continued commitment to revitalising declining rural areas.

“Significant progress has been made in recent years in terms of improving national infrastructure. This scheme for co-funding non-national roads in CLÁR areas has been extremely successful, and I know that the works that have been carried out to date have been of enormous benefit to the local communities concerned”, Minister Killeen added.

According to Minister Killeen, “Improvement works have been earmarked for roads at such locations as Poulnagun, Lisdoonvarna (EUR28,050); Cloonmore, Ballynacally (EUR25,245); Darragh (EUR35,530); Danganella, Cooraclare (EUR 46,750); Tiermana, Mullagh (EUR 30,668); Ballinruan, Crusheen (EUR 29,920); Beneaden, Lissycasey (EUR 29,920); Cranny (EUR 19,800) and Boloughera, Lissycasey (EUR 36,465).”

“This year for every EUR2 spent by Local Authorities on LIS schemes in CLÁR areas (on non – public roads), the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will provide an additional EUR1 from CLÁR funding for works on further LIS roads up to a maximum of EUR500k”, concluded the Minister.

Local Improvement Scheme roads are non-county roads, often leading to houses and important community amenities such as graveyards, beaches, piers, mountains, etc. There must be more than 1 landholder on an LIS road and the road must be open to the public.

The CLÁR programme is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that suffered more than a 35% drop in population between 1926 and 2002. The programme covers parts of 22 counties and all of Co. Leitrim and benefits a population of nearly 727,000. CLÁR schemes cover a wide variety of developments such as village, housing and schools enhancement, electricity conversion, roads, water supply, sewerage disposal, health, coastal, sports and community projects.

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Founded in 2006, Dunphy Public Relations is a communications group led by Mark Dunphy from County Clare. Mr. Dunphy previously held the position of ‘Head of News and Current Affairs’ in Clare FM Radio.

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