Adopted Budget 2022
planning the path forward with the staff involved to strengthen the visitor business in the future. There is no provision in budget 2022 for this addition to the Clare County Council suite of tourism products as the due diligence process and councils position is that this cannot impact negatively on the delivery of services or as a burden to the council commercial rate customers. Review of Clare Rural Development Strategy 2026
A mid-term review of the Clare Rural Development Strategy was commenced during 2021. The Strategy was originally launched in autumn 2017 and is now four years in the implementation phase. A comprehensive review process was undertaken and led by Clare Rural Development Forum over the past year. The draft Review and Renewed Strategy was endorsed by the Clare Rural Development Forum and the Rural Development SPC in late 2021. It will be presented to full Council for adoption early in 2022. The Strategy remains the only county Rural Development Strategy in the country that is directly aligned to the Government’s National Rural Development Plan also launched in 2021. National Rural Grants
Significant funding has been approved under these schemes, which will benefit towns and villages in County Clare. These include RRDF, CLÁR, Town and Village Renewal, Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Grants etc. A number specific COVID-19 related funding initiatives were awarded funding in 2021. Many of these projects have been completed with significant funding approved for others, all of which are at various stages of development. The Council will continue to promote these schemes and will support and encourage communities to collaborate on funding applications to ensure that all parts of the County can benefit from same. Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) (D09)
The Local Community Development Committee (LCDC) is a statutory committee of the Council. Its main responsibilities are to oversee the implementation of the community elements of the Local Economic and Community Plan and to co-ordinate, manage and oversee the implementation of agreed/approved local and community development programmes. These Programmes include the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme, the Community Enhancement Programme (including Men’s Sheds funding) and Healthy Ireland. The LCDC was the oversight committee for the allocation of various funding streams in 2021, which had a particular focus on addressing some of the socio-economic issues arising from COVID-19 and support for community facilities. A review of LECP’s is under consideration at National level and further guidance is awaited from the Department setting out the process and timeframe involved. This will commence in 2022. 51
