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CLÁR programme to help rural communities respond to Covid-19

28 May 2020

The Mayor of Clare, Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy, has welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Rural and Community Development of the CLÁR programme for 2020, which is one element of a €30 million package of co-ordinated and complementary supports being launched this week under the Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme.

CLÁR is a targeted investment programme for rural areas which aims to provide funding for small scale infrastructural projects in areas which have suffered the greatest levels of population decline.

Welcoming the funding, the Chief Executive of Clare County Council, Pat Dowling, made reference to the revised approach to CLÁR this year, which “has been specifically tailored to help rural communities to respond to the new challenges arising from Covid-19, targeting funding to adapt local spaces and support community interaction safely”.

The measures being funded under the 2020 CLÁR programme are:

Measure 1 (operated by Clare County Council): Schools/Community Safety measures.

Measure 2 (operated by Clare County Council): Community Recreation Areas.

Measure 3 (operated directly by the Department of Rural and Community Development): Community Wellbeing, comprising funding towards:

  • Meals on Wheels and linked services (new in 2020)
  • Mobility and Cancer Care Transport.

 

Measure 1, which funds items such as pedestrian crossings and footpaths to provide safe access to schools, has been broadened to allow additional investments to adapt areas around schools and community facilities to help meet new public health requirements arising from Covid-19.

Funding will be provided under a new Measure 2 for community recreational areas where friends and families can socialise outdoors in safe, accessible, community spaces while respecting public health guidelines. This measure will include support for items such as picnic benches/tables, outdoor covered seating or BBQ areas, public lighting, bicycle stands, bandstand/stage areas, etc. These recreational areas will be particularly important for community social interaction in the coming months, in line with the Government’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business.

Clare County Council will be operating Measures 1 and 2 of the CLÁR scheme, with funding available for Schools/Community Safety measures and Community Recreation, respectively.

Up to 10 applications in total may be selected by Clare County Council in respect of Measures 1 and 2. The maximum grant funding for projects under Measures 1 and 2 is €50,000. The application form, guidelines and map of eligible areas of Clare are available at www.clarecoco.ie/services/community/grants/clar/ or telephone 065-6846222.

Applications under Measure 3 should be submitted directly to the Department of Rural and Community Development.

Page last reviewed: 28/05/20

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