Minister for Disabilities and Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, Anne Rabbitte, today (Thursday, September 2nd) confirmed the provision of €96,930 to fund two vehicles for community-based organisations providing vital services in East Galway.
Under the 2021 CLÁR programme, the funding will support the purchase of a vehicle for East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support (€42,930) and the purchase of a bus with adaptions for Ability West in Mountbellew (€54,000). The vehicles will be used to assist people who are wheelchair-bound or have other mobility issues.
Minister Rabbitte commented:
This funding will ensure some of the most vulnerable people in our communities in East Galway can access vital supports or attend medical appointments. I want to commend the invaluable work both the East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support and Ability West organisations do as they are crucial supports for people in East Galway and this is much deserved funding for them.
For families across East Galway, the provision of such transport services by the East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support and Ability West are vital for families to continue day to day and ensure access to the services they need. This funding enables these organisations to have the best transport at their disposal to support their service users.
These organisations are two of just 14 projects awarded funding under this CLAR measure and I thank Minister Heather Humphreys and her Department of Rural and Community Development for seeing the merit of these projects and the services offered by both groups
Once again, this also reflects a commitment in the Government’s rural development policy, ‘Our Rural Future’, to improve transport and accessibility in Rural Ireland,” concluded Minister Rabbitte.
The CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) programme is funded by the Department of Rural and Community Development and forms part of the Government’s ambitious new five year policy for rural Ireland, Our Rural Future.
CLÁR is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that aims to provide funding for small infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. There are designated CLÁR areas in all counties with the exception of Dublin, Kildare and Wexford. Details of the designated areas can be found here.
CLÁR funding works in conjunction with local funding and on the basis of locally identified priorities. Originally launched in 2001 but closed for applications in 2009, the CLÁR Programme was reintroduced in 2016. CLÁR 2021 was announced in March 2021 with applications invited under 4 Measures:
Measure 1: Support for Schools/Community Safety Measures
Measure 2: Outdoor Community Recreation Facilities
Measure 3: Community Wellbeing Support
(a) Community Gardens and Allotments
(b) Mobility and Cancer Care Transport
CLÁR Innovation Measure: Funding for innovative or pilot projects that address specific challenges faced by communities in CLÁR areas.
| County | Organisation | Project Details | Amount of CLÁR funding approved |
| CLARE | Order of Malta Clare | Purchase of Vehicle | €50,000.00 |
| CORK | Irish Wheelchair Association Mallow | Vehicle with adaption | €35,663.40 |
| GALWAY | East Galway and Midlands Cancer Support | Purchase of Vehicle | €42,930.00 |
| GALWAY | Ability West Mountbellew | Bus with adaption | €54,000.00 |
| KERRY | Cahirciveen Social Services | Vehicle with adaption | €44,100.00 |
| KERRY | Ard Chúram Day Care Centre CLG | Bus with adaption | €73,800.00 |
| KERRY | Irish Wheelchair Association Kerry | Bus with adaption | €55,638.00 |
| LONGFORD | Irish Wheelchair Association | Bus with adaption | €55,654.20 |
| MEATH | Moylagh JFK 50 Mile Challenge | Purchase of Vehicle | €50,000.00 |
| MEATH | Irish Wheelchair Association | Purchase of Vehicle | €55,654.00 |
| OFFALY | Irish Wheelchair Association | Vehicle with adaption | €55,654.00 |
| ROSCOMMON | Brothers of Charity-Mid Roscommon | Purchase of Wheelchair Accessible Bus | €63,895.00 |
| SLIGO | Order of Malta | Purchase of Vehicle | €50,000.00 |
| WATERFORD | Saint Christophers Community Ambulance | Purchase of Ambulance | €60,256.80 |
| TOTAL | €747,245.40 |
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