Minister Humphreys Announces Over €2.1m for Vehicles for Mobility, Cancer Care, Meals on Wheels, and First Responders
Minister Humphreys announces over €2.1 million for 48 Vehicles for Mobility, Cancer Care, Meals on Wheels and Community First Responders
- Funding for vehicles to provide essential transport for those with mobility issues and cancer care patients
- Over 20 vehicles to support meals on wheels’ services to elderly and vulnerable people in their own homes.
- Other vehicles to support first responders and search and rescue services.
Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has today (Friday 13th September 2024) announced over €2.1 million in funding for Measure 2 of the 2024 CLÁR programme.
The funding will be used to purchase vehicles designed to transport people who have mobility issues or people undergoing cancer treatments. There are also vehicles for community groups who provide meals on wheels services and for search and rescue organisations.
Overall, Minister Humphreys announced €2,100,768 under Measure 2 of the CLÁR Programme – supporting the purchase of a record 48 vehicles in rural communities.
Some of the projects being supported today include:
- Cork – Dunmanway Family Resource Centre – €52,000 for a modified mobility vehicle
- Kerry – Acquired Brain Injury Ireland - €59,880 for a vehicle to transport brain injury survivors.
- Kilkenny – Order of Malta - €72,000 for the purchase of an ambulance.
- Offaly – Offaly Healthy Homes - €33,750 for a vehicle to support with their meals on wheels’ service.
Announcing the successful projects, Minister Humphreys said:
I am very pleased to be supporting these vital services in our most remote rural communities right across the country. Each of the recipients of funding today plays a vital role in providing essential services to those who are most in need in our communities, be it from a mobility aspect or through the provision of meals on wheels services.
The supports provided by our First Responders and our Search and Rescue teams are of immense importance and I am delighted to be in a position to support these very worthy community groups today. We owe a great deal to these organisations and to all the individuals who volunteer with them.
and continued
This year I have approved the purchase of 48 vehicles for organisations right across the country under Measure 2 of the CLÁR programme. This is the highest number of vehicles ever funded through the programme and the announcement today brings the number of vehicles delivered under this measure to over 200 since it was introduced in 2018, with associated funding of over €10 million.
The 2024 CLÁR Programme
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 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.
The 2024 CLÁR Programme was launched on the 12th April 2024 and included the following measures
- Measure 1: Developing Community Facilities and Amenities
- Measure 2: Mobility, Cancer Care, Meals on Wheels and Community First Responders Transport
- Measure 3: Our Islands
Details of the successful projects are appended and can also be found at the following link.
Our Rural Future
Our Rural Future is the whole-of-government policy for rural Ireland for the period 2021-2025. It offers a blueprint for a thriving and inclusive rural Ireland and adopts a more strategic, ambitious and holistic approach to investing in and maximising opportunities for rural areas. CLÁR is one of a suite of schemes which support the delivery of Our Rural Future.
List of Successful Projects Under CLÁR 2024 Measure 2
| County | Organisation | Project Description | Type of Vehicle | Category of Vehicle | Funding Requested |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cavan | Cavan County Local Development | Meal on wheels refrigerated van. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €41,141 |
| Clare | Enable Ireland | Vehicle for Mobility Transport | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €69,649 |
| Cork | Duhallow Community Food Services | Meals on Wheels vehicle | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €24,800 |
| Cork | Schull Community Care - Meals on wheels | Meals on Wheels vehicle | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €34,650 |
| Cork | Dunmanway Family Resource Centre | Wheelchair adapted vehicle | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €52,000 |
| Cork | Irish Wheelchair Association | Wheelchair accessible vehicle including clamping equipment. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €44,768 |
| Cork | Irish Red Cross | Purchase of a PTS Ambulance. | Diesel | First Responders | €50,000 |
| Donegal | Bainistiocht Aras Gaoth Dobhair Cuideachta Faoi Theorainn Rathaiochta | Wheelchair accessible mini-van. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €40,400 |
| Donegal | Irish Wheelchair Association | Wheelchair accessible vehicle including clamping equipment. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €60,987 |
| Galway | Ballinasloe Social Services | Meals on Wheels vehicle. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €23,440 |
| Galway | Ability West | 7 seat wheelchair accessible bus | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €35,424 |
| Kerry | Irish Red Cross | Purchase of A&E Ambulance | Diesel | First Responders | €50,000 |
| Kerry | Ballyheigue Social Economy Enterprises CLG | Van for Meals on Wheels Delivery | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €12,000 |
| Kerry | Acquired Brain Injury Ireland | Vehicle to transport brain injury survivors to our Resource Centre in Castleisland. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €59,880 |
| Kerry | KNOCKNAGOSHEL OVER 55’S SERVICES CLG | Van adapted for wheelchair access and for meal delivery. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Meals on Wheels | €64,000 |
| Kerry | BUMBLEance | Ambulance for new Western Regional Service. | Diesel | First Responders | €100,000 |
| Kerry | LISTRY COMMUNITY COUNCIL CLG | Meals on Wheel delivery vehicle. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €39,960 |
| Kerry | Rockmount Care Centre | Wheelchair accessible car. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €38,540 |
| Kilkenny | Order Of Malta Ambulance Corp- Kilkenny | Purchase of a van and conversion to a CEN compliant ambulance. | Diesel | First Responders | €72,000 |
| Limerick | Glin Daycare CLG | Meals On Wheels van kitted with HSE necessary food heating equipment. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €24,000 |
| Longford | Longford Social Services CLG | Meals on Wheels vehicle. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €25,560 |
| Mayo | Order Of Malta Ambulance Corp- West Port | A purchase of a CEN compliant Ambulance. | Diesel | First Responders | €72,000 |
| Mayo | Ballycroy Social Services | Meals On Wheels delivery vehicle. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €20,400 |
| Mayo | Brickens Logboy Tulrahan Housing Association | Meals On Wheels delivery vehicle. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €14,000 |
| Mayo | Ballina Lyons Club | 17 seater mini bus adapted with wheelchair lift | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €79,600 |
| Mayo | Enable Ireland | Vehicle for Mobility Transport | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €69,649 |
| Mayo | MULRANNY DAY CENTRE HOUSING LIMITED | Vehicle for Mobility Transport | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €44,000 |
| Mayo | Western Care Association – Home Support Services | Vehicle for Mobility Transport | Hybrid | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €52,200 |
| Mayo | Western Care Association Cluainin Day Service Crossmolina | Vehicle for Mobility Transport | Hybrid | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €52,200 |
| Mayo | Western Care Association Croi Oscailte Residential & Respite Services | Fully Electric Vehicle 9 Seater Lowered floor wheelchair accessible. | Electric | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €55,239 |
| Mayo | Knockmore Rathduff Recreation and Resource Centre | Meals on Wheels vehicle | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €32,224 |
| Mayo | Seirbhisi Curam Chill Chomáin Cuideachta Faoi Theorainn Rathaíochta | Insulated food delivery vehicle | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €22,912 |
| Mayo | Castlebar Social Services CLG | 17 seater mini bus with wheelchair accessibility | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €63,040 |
| Monaghan | Truagh Development Association | Van for delivering Meals on Wheels. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €24,156 |
| Offaly | Offaly Search and Recovery | A Jeep to transport a crew of divers, their dive equipment and tow a rib on Search and Recovery call-outs | Diesel | First Responders | €38,400 |
| Offaly | Kilcormac Meals on Wheels | Electric Vehicle for meals on wheels service | Electric | Meals on Wheels | €30,125 |
| Offaly | Offaly Healthy homes Offaly Integrated Local Development Company | Electric Vehicle for meals on wheels service | Electric | Meals on Wheels | €33,750 |
| Roscommon | Roscommon Leader Partnership/Mo Chairde | Meals On Wheels delivery vehicle. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €27,068 |
| Roscommon | Ballaghaderreen Social Services CLG | Purchase of a 17 seater minibus. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €52,627 |
| Roscommon | Enable Ireland | Mobility transport vehicle | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €26,867 |
| Sligo | Community of Lough Arrow Social Project CLG | Van for Meal on Wheels Delivery. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €23,200 |
| Sligo | Easkey Community Council Company Limited (Meals on Wheels) | Van to transport meals | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €23,516 |
| Tipperary | Irish Red Cross | First Responders transport vehicle | Diesel | First Responders | €50,000 |
| Tipperary | Fethard & District Day Care Centre Clg | Mobility transport vehicle | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €90,041 |
| Tipperary | Irish Wheelchair Association, Tipperary South | New wheelchair accessible vehicle including clamping equipment. | Diesel | Mobility Transport/Cancer Care | €44,768 |
| Westmeath | Athlone Meals on Wheels Committee | Meals on Wheels delivery van | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €22,796 |
| Westmeath | South Westmeath Employment Education Training Services CLG | Vehicle to assist in delivery of meals to our clients.. | Diesel | Meals on Wheels | €16,790 |
| Wicklow | Order Of Malta Ambulance Corp- Bray Unit | First Responders transport vehicle | Diesel | First Responders | €56,000 |
| €2,100,768 |