Bertie Ahern
Question:4 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach the reason for a 72 per cent increase in the 1997 budget allocation for local development. [24528/96]
Ceisteanna — Questions. - Budget Allocations.
Bertie Ahern
Question:5 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Taoiseach the increased work which will be carried out under the URBAN Initiative in 1997, the allocation for which is to be increased from £3.5 million to £6 million. [24530/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together, as they both relate to the 1997 Estimates provision for local development under the Vote of the Department of the Taoiseach.
The main element of the 1997 allocation for Subhead F.1 — Local Development — relates to the Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development. Exchequer co-finance will be provided for that part of the programme being managed by ADM Limited and the technical assistance funding will be managed by the Department of the Taoiseach. Activities under the operational programme are well under way and gathering momentum and the budget allocation reflects the forecasts of expenditure for 1997. The EU funds for the programme will be paid, as appropriate, directly to ADM Limited or to the Exchequer in 1997.
This subhead will also provide for the costs of the liaison team, who assist the county strategy groups in co-ordinating local development initiatives at county level — £192,000; and special once-off grants for local development projects — £250,000. It is proposed that applications for these grants will be invited, by public advertisement, early in the new year. The provision for these elements are broadly similar to the 1996 allocations.
The provision in Subhead F3 — URBAN Initiative — relates to the 1997 forecast of expenditure for the operational programme for the implementation of the URBAN Initiative in Ireland, which is managed by the Department of the Taoiseach. The operational programme was approved by the European Commission in July 1996 and plans were prepared by the three URBAN steering groups in Dublin and Cork. It is expected that the action plans will be finalised early in 1997 and expenditure on approved projects will commence.
I thank the Minister of State for that information. Does the Minister of State agree such an increase in funding demands that the funds are administered in a more efficient fashion than in 1995 and that they are distributed fairly with proper adherence to the guidelines which have been set out?
In regard to Question No. 5, on 6 November last the Minister of State indicated decisions on allocation of funds were still pending in many instances. Have all those decisions been made? If not, how can he be sure the increase in funding is necessary or adequate? How much of the £6 million goes towards administration?
I do not have the information on the Deputy's last question. I will obtain it and see that he receives it an early date. In regard to the discretionary fund the figure of £250,000 is the same as last year and is a relatively small amount of money. An advertisement will be placed, as it was for the past two years, for applications. With regard to the increase in other areas, for example, the urban initiative, the allocation is to be increased from £3.5 million to £6 million this year because early in 1997 we expect a number of plans in the pipeline to be approved and work on them to commence.
Try saying that with a straight face.
It will be approved before the election.
Will the Minister of State indicate when these moneys will be paid in 1997?
I expect they will be paid well in advance of the general election.
At least the Minister of State is honest.
At least he has admitted why there have been huge increases in the subheads.
I admit I do not anticipate an election too soon in 1997.
The Minister of State said early in 1997. A slush fund comes to mind.
With regard to Question No. 5, shortly after entering office the Minister of State arbitrarily changed the urban scheme in so far as it relates to Cork and excluded areas on the south side of the city which had originally been included such as Mahon and Togher. Will he review that decision with regard to the 1997 plans and the increased funding? It was done for electoral reasons and Dublin was looked after to the exclusion of the south side of Cork, much to the chagrin of many people in Cork on all sides. It was a regrettable decision which he took in consultation with nobody.
The Deputy is raising a particular matter appertaining to Cork which requires a specific question.
I am raising the urban project in Cork.
That decision was not taken arbitrarily by me. I made finance available to those areas not included from my Department's small discretionary fund.
The Minister of State's language is telling.
A sum of £16 million was set aside for this fund. It is not true to say Dublin was looked after. Parts of Dublin were looked after such as Ballymun in north Dublin and west Tallaght/Clondalk in west Dublin.
The Minister of State is dead right.
There are segments of the city represented by Deputy Bertie Ahern and me which did not do well out of this. This is why the discretionary fund was used to compensate them. Those areas did not benefit either from Leader or other funds available elsewhere. One area in Cork and two areas in west and north Dublin did well out of this urban initiative and they deserved to. I am only sorry there were not sufficient funds available to use in other needy areas. I hope in the future, as other funds become available, needy areas will be given assistance to catch up.
Who took the decision to exclude areas on the south side of Cork city?
I cannot have an extension of the question ranging all over the country. If the Deputy wants information about Cork, he should put down a question.
With respect, the urban project relates only to Dublin and Cork. This is relevant to the question.
The Deputy is being specific in regard to one area only.
There are only two areas involved.
Cork has done extremely well out of this.
Answer the question.
I inherited the boundaries for this initiative.
I have received a note from the Chief Whip's office. The Taoiseach will not be in the Dáil for Question Time tomorrow. This was communicated to Deputy Bertie Ahern's office yesterday. Perhaps he was not aware of that.
I was told the Taoiseach might be back. That was communicated to the Whip's office.