Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 19 Dec 1996

Vol. 473 No. 3

Written Answers. - Urban Renewal Scheme.

Noel Ahern

Question:

119 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment the number of industrial sites which have been granted designated tax status in the past two years; if he will list and name these areas; if he has received an application in respect of the planned Finglas Industrial Campus in Dublin 11; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25172/96]

Noel Ahern

Question:

120 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for the Environment when the current urban designation scheme came into operation; the number, location and alterations, if any, made since this scheme was introduced in relation to constituency locations; the date on which such alterations, if any, were made; the area, purpose, category and extent of the projected capital investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25173/96]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment (Ms McManus)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together.

The present urban renewal scheme commenced in August 1994 and areas were designated for urban renewal in 34 locations, throughout the country (Athlone, Ballinasloe, Bray, Ballina, Carlow, Castlebar, Clonmel, Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Dundalk, Dungarvan, Ennis, Enniscorthy, Galway, Kilkenny, Killarney, Letterkenny, Limerick, Longford, Mallow, Monaghan, Mullingar, Navan, Nenagh, Newbridge, Portlaoise, Roscommon, Sligo, Tralee, Tullamore, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow). In September 1995, some adjustments were made to the designated areas in Bray, Clonmel, Cork, Dublin, Sligo, Tralee and Wexford, and certain areas in Cobh, County Cork, were also designated.

In addition to the designated areas, a limited number of areas have been designated as enterprise areas in which incentives are available for certain types of industrial and traded services development. There are two enterprise areas in Dublin (East Wall and Grand Canal Docks), one in Cork (Blackpool) and one in Galway (Westgate). Certain streets in each of the five county boroughs were also designated for the Living over the Business Scheme.

Details of the estimated capital expenditure for each category of development, based on the most recent information available in my Department, are set out in the following table; the figures do not include expenditure in the Temple Bar and Custom House Docks Areas.

An overall review of the urban renewal schemes as they have operated to date is currently under way. As part of the review, a consultants' study on the impact of the schemes in economic, social and architectural terms has been completed. The study was published on 5 December and is now the subject of a process of public consultation as part of which submissions have been invited from interested persons and organisations. Copies of the study are available in the Oireachtas Library.

A request for the designation of the planned Finglas Industrial Campus has been received in my Department but, pending the outcome of the review, there are no proposals to extend the present urban renewal scheme to any additional areas. It would be inappropriate to consider what new areas, if any, might be suitable for designation in the future until general policy in relation to the next phase of urban renewal is determined in the light of the review.

Table

	£000
Projects in Plannings (376 projects)
Residential	160,095
Office	36,987
Commercial	112,628
Industrial	4,700
Other	64,849
Total	379,259
Projects in Progress (144 projects)
Residential	121,760
Office	4,498
Commercial	71,582
Industrial	2,915
Other	52,172
Total	252,927
Projects Completed (214 projects)
Residential	67,011
Office	2,250
Commercial	23,547
Industrial	2,010
Other	10,232
Total	105,049
Total Projects (734 projects)
Residential	348,866
Office	43,735
Commercial	207,757
Industrial	9,625
Other	127,252
Total	737,236