Written Answers. - Grant Schemes.
Trevor Sargent
Question:
51
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Taoiseach
the number and the nature of the various grant schemes which he has approved in respect of his Department and its subordinate agencies; the schedule for these schemes; the objective of each such scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[7932/96]
This reply refers to Sub-programme 2 of the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development, the discretionary grants scheme for local development, grants in support of Communicating Europe, grants in respect of western and island development, and grants in respect of the famine commemoration.
Regarding 1. Integrated development of designated disadvantaged and other areas — the Department of the Taoiseach has overall co-ordinating responsibility for the operational programme for local urban and rural development, 1994-1999. Grant approval and allocation under sub-programme 1, local enterprise and sub-programme 3, urban and village renewal are the responsibility of the Departments of Enterprise and Employment and the Environment, respectively.
Sub-programme 2 — integrated development of designated disadvantaged and other areas, is administered on behalf of the EU Commission and the Department of the Taoiseach and by an independent intermediary, area development management (ADM) Ltd. The principal objective of Sub-programme 2 is to counter disadvantage through support for communities who make a collective effort to maximise the development potential of their areas, which are capable of a sustained effort to implement a plan and which have committed an appropriate level of local resources, broadly defined, to that process.
Three categories of communities and groups are eligible for support under this sub-programme for which the total amount of funding available up to 1999 is £110 million. Regarding partnerships in designated disadvantaged areas, 38 areas have been designated — (£85 million), Communities in other areas— (up to £22 million), and other organisations representing or working on behalf of travellers and selected organisations with the capacity to make a significant contribution to the sub-programme's objective — £3 million.
2. Discretionary grant scheme for local development—the nature of this grant scheme is the disbursement of funds to groups who are capable of making a significant contribution to local development. The following criteria apply in relation to these grants: level of disadvantage in the areas; that the project is not elibible for support under the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development or, being eligible, had not actually been supported to a sufficient degree to be viable; that the project would complement a programme of activity or other project being supported under the operational programme; that the group receiving support would be enabled to contribute more effectively to the partnership process in local development; that the groups receiving funding have the ability to carry through the project successfully and evidence that funds will be applied to the purpose for which they were granted.
The objective of the scheme is to assist in the process of socio-economic development at local level to complement the measures funded under the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development — £872,845 was allocated under this scheme in 1995. A further £250,000 is available for allocation in 1996. The appraisal of applications is at an advanced stage at present.
3. Under the Communicating Europe Initiative, a number of grants were paid in 1995 to the following; Irish Country Woman's Association — European Affairs Week; Europe Week — Local Radio Initiative; Institute of European Affairs — Research and Promotion of European Issues; Carrefour Network — Local Media Awareness Campaign; Irish Council of the European Movement — European Awareness Campaign.
The objective of the Communicating Europe Initiative is to raise public awareness of EU issues and the various activities grant aided are in line with this objective. As yet no grants have been made available for 1996, although it is envisaged that support will be made available to a number of projects, including the Europe Week project and the ICA's European Affairs Week.
4. Western Development — the Western Development Partnership Board was established to promote the economic development of the western region with the objective of achieving population stability by the end of the decade at 1991 census levels on a county basis. The term of office of the board is for two years up to 31 December 1996.
The board receives an annual grant from the Vote of the Department of the Taoiseach. In 1996 the amount of the board's grant is £120,000. In 1995 the board received a grant of £100,000 and an additional amount of £28,000 approximately, to defray exceptional additional costs incurred in finalising their action plan. In addition the board received a once-off payment of nearly £50,000 in respect of consultancy services.
In its report entitledNew Approaches to Rural Development, the National Economic and Social Council sets out its belief that a unified location based approach to service provision in rural areas should be actively explored.
In response to this recommendation, a pilot programme initiative has been established to explore innovative ways of ensuring that a range of essential services are maintained in less populated rural areas in an effective and economic way.
Following a programme of seminars which were hosted by Minister of State, Deputy Donal Carey, last year, a high level steering committee was established by the Minister to assess and recommend the pilot projects for inclusion in the programme.
The committee has carried out an initial assessment of all proposals received and is at present considering which of them will become pilot projects for the most feasible model of integration of State services in rural areas.
It is expected that those projects selected will be established by June of this year. The pilot programme will run for a period of two or three years and funding for these projects will be made from the Western Development Subhead of the Department of the Taoiseach's Vote, it is too early at this stage to identify funding allocations to individual projects.
The report of the inderdepartmental co-ordinating committee on island development sets out the strategic framework within which future Government policy on the islands will be formulated and implemented.
One of the report's key recommendations is the establishment of a financial envelope within which the current operational cost of access services would be financed, together with a provision for infrastructural works. In addition, a further sum of £1 million has been allocated in 1996 for the specific provision of improved access to offshore islands.
Funds will be allocated on the basis of proposals to be submitted by the relevant local authorities. Furthermore, on a once off basis, £120,000 was allocated to seven island voluntary agencies in 1995 from funds available for western development.
The Famine Commemoration Office does not have a specifically designated grant scheme. However, from time to time the interdeparatmental commemoration committee, chaired by Minister of State, Deputy Avril Doyle, receives requests for funding towards various activities related to the commemoration of the Famine and the Rebellion of 1798, and considers each request on its merits as a fit and appropriate commemoration.
