Almost €9k has been allocated to ten environmental awareness projects in County Clare, under the Local Agenda 21 Environmental Partnership Fund.

The Fund promotes sustainable development by assisting small scale, non-profit environmental projects at local level.

It has operated in various forms since 1997 when 65 projects received funding. Last year 269 projects across Ireland received funding.

Dáil Minister of State and Clare, Mr. Tony Killeen, who announced the funding yesterday said: "The administration of the funds at local level is the responsibility of Clare County Council with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government maintaining a supervisory role."

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The Minister added that a wide variety of innovative and exciting projects and schemes in County Clare had been supported under the Fund.

The Clare projects, in receipt of funding this year, range from demonstrating hydrogen fuel as a means of alternative power to raising environmental awareness in young people.

Other projects include making the public more proactive in the 'race against waste', encouraging public participation in community regeneration initiatives, raising awareness of food security issues, discouraging the excessive use of skips and indiscriminate fly tipping.

(GK/JM)