Both Cloughjordan and Silvermines in my constituency need playground facilities for young children. Both of these local villages have dedicated, skilled and ambitious voluntary committees that have been working on this for a number of years. Both have secured lands, namely, the Thomas MacDonagh Memorial Garden in Cloughjordan and the parish field in Silvermines. Both have considerable sums of money fundraised, both have acquired planning permission and both have detailed designs published. The Silvermines committee has already shown the public its plans. Cloughjordan is doing that this weekend from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in St. Kieran's Hall. Both communities have very excited children who want their own local playground, but both have major problems accessing funding. The social inclusion stream of LEADER for north Tipperary has been maxed out and no other funding options are coming close to the funding required. Both playground groups have applied for funding through CLÁR and others, but have not been successful to date through no fault of their own. Considering the next Common Agricultural Policy is not due until 2028, I am asking for funding from the Exchequer to go into those empty streams to continue that funding in rural Ireland and get us our playgrounds in Cloughjordan and Silvermines.

I thank Deputy O'Meara for raising this issue. Relating to LEADER in Tipperary, the Tipperary local action group, LAG, has received €10.8 million for the 2021 to 2027 period, which is an increase of 7% on the previous budget. As the Deputy knows, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht has no role in deciding on specific projects. That is done by the Tipperary LAG, which has the capacity to seek flexibility within the programme.

Relating to the specific projects in Cloughjordan and Silvermines, they expressed an interest in funding to Tipperary County Council. Potentially, there will be funding there. Tipperary County Council has not forwarded that on to our Department for consideration. I am happy to engage with the Deputy on it, but either the LAG needs to make a decision or Tipperary County Council needs to get it to our Department.