26 May 2017
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Senator Tim Lombard began his political career as a Cork County Cllr and is now a Senator.
Cork based Fine Gael Senator, Tim Lombard, has welcomed the funding allocated to Cork Emergency Response organisations under the latest round of the CLÁR programme.
“I am delighted to see the allocation of over €65,000 in funding for local first response organisations here in Cork. It will enable them to purchase or upgrade equipment to assist them in their life-saving activities, which in turn will greatly improve the lives of people living in or visiting our countryside.
“The programme forms part of the Government’s Action Plan for Rural Development, launched in January 2017, and this round, CLÁR Measure 4, covers Emergency Response. Here in Cork the following organisations received funding totalling €65,316 are: ICRR, Castletown Kinneigh Community Alert, Barryroe Defibrillator Group, Freemount Community Alert/First Response Support Group, and Search and Rescue Dog Association of Ireland.
The scheme is funded by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and delivered, for the most part, by Local Authorities in consultation with local communities.
“These funding streams are an important part of the Action Plan for Rural Development, Realising Our Rural Potential, a Plan which provides a framework for a co-ordinated approach across Government to support the economic and social development of rural Ireland.”
What is the CLÁR programme?
The CLÁR programme (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) is a targeted investment programme which provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in rural areas that have suffered the greatest levels of population decline. The aim of CLÁR is to support the sustainable development of identified CLÁR areas by attracting people to live and work there. The funding works in conjunction with local funding and on the basis of locally identified priorities.
CLÁR 2017
The 2017 CLÁR programme sees funding provided under four measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Play Areas
Measure 3: Targeted Community Infrastructure Needs
Measure 4: First Response Support Measure
