Waterford Fine Gael Senator and General Election Candidate John Cummins has warmly welcomed the allocation of €50,000 for the West Waterford Rapid Response Vehicle Group under CLAR Measure 2.
Senator Cummins said “This is great news for West Waterford. I want to compliment the West Waterford Rapid Response group for all of their work to date in raising a huge amount of funding for this essential service. Over the last number of months, I have been working with the group in relation to their CLAR application which sought €50,000 to purchase and kit out the rapid response vehicle. I was delighted that the group had a very positive discussion with Taoiseach Simon Harris at the Dungarvan show during the summer.
Commenting on the difficulties experienced Senator Cummins said “I want to sincerely thank my Fine Gael colleague Minister Heather Humphrey’s and her team for being willing to review this application in recent weeks. Issues were identified during the assessment process and I was delighted to work with the West Waterford Rapid Response vehicle group and the Minister to iron out these issues. Thankfully it has resulted in this really positive allocation of €50,000 today which I know will be utilised very well”.
CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd Riachtanais) or Funding for Small-Scale Rural Projects is a targeted investment programme which provides funding for small-scale - infrastructural projects in rural areas that have suffered the greatest levels of population decline. CLÁR is just one piece of the Department’s Rural Development Investment Programme, which provides a package of coordinated and complementary supports for rural areas.
Senator Cummins said “The funding announced today is further evidence of mine and this governments continued commitment to rural Waterford. The funding will support the West Waterford Rapid Response Group to purchase and kit out a new vehicle which will be used to respond to medical emergencies across west Waterford. It is a significant allocation which will compliment the huge fundraising drive which the group have undertaken since their launch”.
Senator Cummins concluded by saying “It is important to note that this is just one tranche, further allocations will be made under Measure 1 and I am continually working with Minister Humphreys to maximise the level of funding that can be provided to Waterford communities”.