Vol. 405 No. 3
25 Mr. Nealon asked the Minister for Finance if he has studied the report of the Arigna Task Force; and his views on the recommendations in the report that seek the involvement of his Department in the economic rehabilitation of this area.
I have read the report of the Arigna Task Force to the Minister for Energy and considered its recommendations in so far as they concern my Department. One recommendation in the report that seeks the involvement of my Department in the development of Arigna is that concerning urban renewal on the lines of the incentives available for areas designated under the Urban Renewal Act, 1986. The report also recommended the designation, under the urban renewal programme, of areas in the towns of Boyle and Carrick-on-Shannon. The urban renewal tax incentives, which include capital allowances for commercial premises, double rent allowance for traders and owner-occupier residential allowance are, however, specific to the rundown and derelict parts of certain towns and cities, and are primarily aimed at construction and reconstruction of buildings. As for designation, this is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Flynn, and I have no function in this matter.
The report also refers to the county development teams, which come under my aegis. I can assure the Deputy that as part of their ongoing work in the area in question, the county development teams will take a special interest in the development of any worthwhile economic projects for the area.
Question No. 139 in my name refers to this matter. In view of the fact that 210 people have become unemployed as a result of the first part of the closure of the power station and that another 67 will be unemployed when the power station closes down the response of the Government has been far from appropriate. The ESB have donated £1 million towards an enterprise fund and the Minister's Department would be involved in funding or part funding an enterprise fund. Perhaps the Minister would comment on the attitude of his Department towards the funds going into the enterprise fund, which is the essential finding of the Arigna task force.
I understand that my colleague the Minister for Energy was in Arigna recently and set up the trustees to manage the enterprise fund which is being contributed to, in the first instance, by the ESB. The involvement of my Department for community and local development would be through the country development teams and the central development committee. I do not have funds available to me on the basis suggested by the Deputy. The estimate would not allow for that type of investment into an enterprise fund.
The Minister states that he has no funds, but surely, as Minister for Finance, he has control over all the funds the State has to expend.
This is a typical simplistic question from a Deputy who relies on Frenchpark economic school in Roscommon.
