Vol. 461 No. 2
62 Dr. Upton asked the Taoiseach the projects, if any, that are funded or have been approved for funding under the URBAN Community Initiative Programme of the second round of the Structural Funds; the name, purpose and location of each project; and the amount of Irish and European funding provided. [2714/96]
The European Union URBAN Initiative is intended to help find solutions to the serious social problems caused by the crisis in many depressed urban areas through supporting schemes for economic and social revitalisation, the renovation of facilities and infrastructures and environmental improvement. It is intended for areas within cities which have a population of more than 100,000 and suffering from high rates of unemployment, a decaying urban fabric, poor housing and a lack of social facilities. The Department of the Taoiseach has responsibility for URBAN because of the close links between the process and objectives of the Initiative and those of the Local Urban and Rural Development Programme.
A sum of 15.5 million ECU or around £12.5 million has been made available to Ireland under the Initiative in the period to 1999. Co-financing of approximately 5 million ECU (£4 million) will be provided by the Exchequer. As previously announced, agreement was reached with the European Commission that URBAN would apply in Cork and Dublin. In Cork the area is to be the northside of the city and in Dublin the areas are west Tallaght/Clondalkin and Finglas/Ballymun/Darndale. The funding in the case of the latter area is to be concentrated on Ballymun.
