North Tipp areas eligible for CLÁR funding

Fianna Fáil TD, Ryan O'Meara has welcomed the announcement that a number of new areas across North Tipperary and Northwest Kilkenny have been included in the expansion of areas eligible for the CLÁR funding programme, with €12 million available for projects under CLÁR 2026.

CLÁR is a targeted investment programme for rural areas that provides funding for small scale infrastructural projects in communities that have experienced significant levels of depopulation.

The announcement by Minister Darragh Calleary confirms that 110 additional areas across 20 counties will now be eligible for funding under the programme. These newly designated areas have a combined population of almost 150,000 people.

For the first time since the programme was established, more than one million people will be living in parts of Ireland that are eligible to apply for this important rural development funding.

Speaking following the announcement, Deputy O'Meara said:

“The CLÁR programme provides vital support to rural communities across the country, delivering essential funding for projects that help bring communities together.

“Borrisokane, Borrisoleigh, Clonoulty East and Littleton of North Tipperary and Freshford, Johnstown and Urlingford from Northwest Kilkenny are among the locations now eligible for funding. This means more communities in my constituency can apply for support for local projects and community amenities. This will help ensure these communities have access to the same infrastructure and facilities that are available in urban areas.

“The wide range of projects that can be supported under CLÁR continues to be one of the programme’s key strengths, and today’s announcement will be welcome news for many rural communities."

Under the initiative, funding will be provided across three measures:

Measure 1

Development of community facilities and amenities including sports facilities, youth clubs, teenage spaces, playgrounds, sensory gardens, walking tracks and much more.

There are new items eligible for support this year under Measure 1, including support for traffic safety measures with a particular link to community facilities or events, and for initiatives aimed at reducing light pollution in rural communities.

Measure 2

Support for vehicles for community transport used to transport cancer patients or persons with reduced mobility, for community first responders and for meals on wheels organisations.

Measure 3

Tailored funding for our offshore island communities under the specific ‘Our Living Islands’ measure.