Tag Archives: Minister for the Environment

It has been confirmed that a new €80 million scheme aimed at rejuvenating urban and village centres is soon to be rolled out. Deputy Joe Carey received confirmation of these plans in reply to a recent parliamentary question, which he tabled to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Alan Kelly. The Fine Gael TD said, “There is a clear need in my view to provide funding to improve streetscapes and public space infrastructure similar to that previously provided for under the Urban & Village Renewal Scheme. “Many town and village centres, streets and recreational areas throughout County Clare are screaming out for an injection of funding. The introduction of this scheme is welcome news. I look forward to Clare County Council identifying appropriate projects and to successfully drawing down much needed funding to improve our town and village public space infrastructure.”

Environment Minister Alan Kelly has directed all local authorities to invite approved housing bodies to develop and submit cost effective and sustainable proposals to provide independent living accommodation for people with special housing needs under the Capital Assistance Scheme. Local Authorities will issue a “call for proposals” to invite construction and/or acquisition proposals from aproved bodies to meet this important need. Minister Kelly said, “The Capital Assistance Scheme is my department’s main capital funding scheme for the provision of independent living accommodation for the more vulnerable in our society. I have earmarked €71 million for this scheme in 2015 and I am delighted that with this funding, the Government is enabling additional social housing accommodation to be delivered throughout the country to meet these specific and important needs”. This new “call for proposals” is being made in the context of the Social Housing Strategy 2020, which targets the provision of 35,000 new social housing units over a six year period …

Clare County Council has been urged to apply, without delay, for its share of the €3.8billion social housing fund announced by Environment Minister, Alan Kelly. “We have a real social housing need in Clare, and today’s announcement by Minister Kelly to deliver 35,000 homes across the country over the next six years is greatly welcome,”commented Clare TD, Michael McNamara. “I am urging Clare County Council to submit applications to this fund, to address the social housing problem. New rules put in place by Minister Kelly mean that the county council will take a strong leading role in social housing provision in the county, where previously it was mainly the job of private operators,” he added.