Éamon Ó Cuív T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs announced today that he has approved €609,000 in CLÁR funding for flashing amber safety lights at 87 schools in the CLÁR areas of Co. Mayo.
Details of the schools approved for CLÁR funding by the Minister are available from the Press & Information Office.
This follows on from the announcement by Minister Ó Cuív on 24 May 2006 that the Flashing Amber Safety Lights at Schools measure is fully funded (100%) by the CLÁR Programme and will facilitate the provision of these lights at all national schools in CLÁR areas that do not already them.
Minister Ó Cuív said that these lights are a major safety asset, particularly at schools outside villages and urban areas, where higher speed limits apply.
CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais/Programme for Revitalising Rural Areas) is an investment programme designed to tackle the problem of population decline and lack of services in rural areas.
Editor’s Note
At its inception, the CLÁR Programme targeted rural areas that had suffered more than a 50% drop in population since the foundation of the State and covered parts of 17 counties and all of Co. Leitrim. The areas covered were extended in April 2006 to include areas with an average population loss of 35% per county between 1926 and 2002. Parts of 22 counties and all of Co. Leitrim are now included, increasing the population benefiting from the Programme by 100% to nearly 727,000 and increasing the funding by over 60% in 2006.
CLÁR schemes cover a wide variety of developments such as village, housing and schools enhancement, electricity conversion, roads, water supply, sewerage disposal, health, coastal, sports and community projects.
Areas targeted under the CLÁR Programme:
Parts of: Counties Carlow, Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, Galway, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick, Longford, Louth, Mayo, Meath, Monaghan, Offaly, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath, Wicklow and all of County Leitrim.