Éamon Ó Cuív T.D., Minister for Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, today (11 April 2006) announced that the Government has decided to expand the CLÁR (Ceantair Laga Árd-Riachtanais) Programme in most of the existing CLÁR areas, and to introduce the very successful rural development scheme into a further 5 counties.  Provision for the CLÁR programme was increased by approximately €9m in this years Revised Estimates, bringing the total CLÁR fund for 2006 to €22.95m. 

County Wicklow, along with counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly are now included in CLÁR.

The CLÁR programme was introduced in October 2001 as a targeted investment programme for rural areas that had suffered more than a 50% drop in population since the foundation of the State.  A range of schemes under under CLÁR are designed to accelerate the development of physical, community and social infrastructure.   The schemes cover a wide variety of developments such as village, housing and schools enhancement, electricity conversion, broadband, roads, water supply and sewerage disposal, health, coastal, sports and community projects.