Bere Island Projects Group have been awarded €72,693 of CLÁR funding from the Department of Rural and Community Development to purchase an electric wheelchair accessible bus and install a PV charging point at the island community centre.
The funding was announced by Minister Heather Humphreys, as part of an overall €412,000 funding package for eleven projects on the offshore islands. The funding is part of a new ‘Our Islands’ measure under the Department’s CLÁR Programme and is designed to make the offshore islands more attractive places to live and visit. Commenting on the announcement, Minister Humphreys said “I am delighted to announce over €412,000 for eleven successful projects under the new ‘Our Islands’ measure, which comes under my Department’s CLÁR Programme. These islands have seen significant levels of depopulation over the years and face challenges such as rural isolation and population decline. I was therefore delighted to tailor the CLÁR Programme so that specific supports could be channelled directly to our island communities.”
The wheelchair accessible bus will be used by Bere Island Projects Group as community transport on the island, delivering meals on wheels and the group hope to start up island eco-tours in the near future. The group will also install a PV charging point at the island community centre.