Just under €5 million in funding has been secured to develop and improve play areas in rural communities throughout Ireland.

The funding for Safety Measures and Play Areas under the CLÁR Programme is part of the Government's Action Plan for Rural Development.

Michael Ring T.D., Minister of State for Regional Economic Development at the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs said the funding will be used for a diverse range of projects.

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He said: "The initiatives under these measures have come from the communities themselves in cooperation with their local authorities and are a great example of the work that can be done when communities and local authorities work together. Many of the schools and communities have been working and fundraising for a long time to support these projects and I am delighted to be able to provide CLÁR funding in order to facilitate the completion of these very worthwhile works. The finished projects will support parents, teachers and their communities to ensure that they have safe and secure environments for their children to learn and play."

(CD/LM)