Over my term in Government I was determined to ensure that Government investment was directed into Rural Ireland.
I was instrumental in the establishment & funding of the new Department of Rural Affairs which has directed nearly €1m in investment into Roscommon’s tourism heartland from Rooskey to Ballyleague to Tulsk and Rathcroghan.
On top of that €5m will be invested in the redevelopment of Strokestown Park House, €1m has been made available to work with farmers in the Rathcroghan area, a new tourism master plan for Rathcroghan and €1.3m is being provided for a new food hub in Lanesboro.
A master plan for the development of tourism in the River Shannon catchment will go out for public consultation in the coming weeks and will incorporate developments which will include tourism and recreation trails through the Mount Dillon bog complex which will ultimately link up Rooskey & Tarmonbarry with Strokestown, Cloontuskert & Ballyleague/Lanesboro.
Here is a sample of the projects funded to date:
|
Location |
project | Value € |
| Rooskey | Clearing and revamping of the old Canal Walk | 100,000 |
| Rooskey Town & Country Dev. | Develop a community amenity area buy providing park benches, pathways and planting in Rooskey | 4,000 |
| Rooskey Development & Social Inclusion Group Ltd | purchase IT equipment | 1,000 |
| Elphin | Refurbish Secondary School | 100,000 |
| Elphin Area Community Enterprise | Laptop, printer and filing cabinet | 1,500 |
| Elphin Renewal Team | Development of a professional brochure for town | 1,600 |
| Elphin GAA | Improvement works to GAA grounds | 9,000 |
| Elphin | Elphin Town Trail- Windmill Woodlawn | 10,000 |
| Elphin | Elphin Public Amenity Garden | 9,600 |
| Elphin N.S. | Pedestrian crossing required | 30,000 |
| Strokestown Boys N.S., Elphin Street, Strokestown | Pedestrian crossing required | 25,000 |
| Strokestown | Enhance building frontage in town and purchase chalet type stalls and marquee | 80,000 |
| Strokestown Poetry Festival | PA system | 849 |
| Strokestown Community & Sports Centre | To replace and update two fire doors to more energy efficient ones. To install new emergency lighting |
4,000 |
| Strokestown Foróige | Purchase a wooden shed to store sports equipment |
2,000 |
| Strokestown Co-Op | Replacement of fire exit doors | 1,000 |
| Strokestown Parkrun | Defibrillator | 1,000 |
| Strokestown Womens Shed | Purchase of Marquee | 1,000 |
| Strokestown Community Games, | purchase jerseys, megaphone and sports/training equipment | 1,000 |
| Strokestown Agricultural & Industrial Show | purchase laptops and a printer | 1,000 |
| Kilbride Defibrillator Committee, | purchase defibrillator and associated equipment | 1,000 |
| Kilbride GAA Club, | purchase projector, screen and dishwasher | 1,000 |
| County Roscommon Disability Support Group CLG, | purchase equipment for people with disabilities | 1,000 |
| Ballyfeeney, Balleyfeeney, Strokestown | Safety speed sign required to reduce traffic speed at school, existing road markings need to be relayed | 16,000 |
| Roxboro School | Replacement lights required, child safety signs required, no road marking currently in place | 10,000 |
| St. Marys NS, Strokestown | All weather soft play surface and playground equipment | 39,960 |
| Strokestown | rejuvenation of Tennis courts to include walkway and lights | 31,155 |
| Strokestown | Community Playground Phase 2 | 50,000 |
| Lough Ree Sub Aqua Search and Rescue Unit | Lough Ree Sub Aqua Search and Rescue Unit | 25,435 |
| Ballyleague | Ballyleague Marina Enhancements | 78,000 |
| Ballyleague Men’s Shed | Cultivator | 1,671 |
| Ballyleague NS | Digital Speed Safety Signs at Ballyleague NS | 13,500 |
| Whitehall N.S., Whitehall, Tarmonbarry | Replacement lights required, child safety signs required, no road marking currently in place | 10,000 |
| Ballagh N.S. | Replacement lights required, child safety signs required, no road marking currently in place | 10,000 |
| Cloonfower N.S, Cloonfower, Tarmonbarry | Dangerous blind bend at school. Works would improve visibility at dangerous bend and reduce hazard | 12,500 |
| Irish Heritage Trust | Strokestown Park – A Centre of Academic Learning & Tourism | 16,200 |
| Tulsk Action Group Ltd. | Building Capacity and Rebranding at Rathcroghan Visitor Centre | 52,170 |
| Lough Ree Angling Hub | Angling Centre Plan | 8,413 |
| Tulsk | Resurfacing car park, footpath, signage and refurbishment of amenity area | 100,000 |
| Tulsk | Project will establish a Rural Digital Working Hub in Tulsk among other locations nationwide | 161,183 |
| TOTAL | 944,736 |