I have made the following allocations under the estate improvement programme: Dublin Corporation, £1.25 million; Dublin South County Council, £750,000 and Fingal County Council, £500,000. Proposals from Cork and Limerick Corporations are being examined in my Department and I hope to make allocations to these authorities as soon as possible.
The purpose of the new programme is to assist local authorities in tackling environmental and related problems in severely run-down local authority housing estates and flat complexes in certain disadvantaged urban areas.
The allocations have been made on the basis of the identification by the authorities concerned of the estates to be improved and the nature of the works to be done. Works eligible for funding under the programme include: measures to upgrade the visual impact of estates, including environmental works leading to a more positive image of an estate; redefinition of site boundaries where appropriate; treatment of common areas to mitigate potential for anti-social activities; creation of defensible space around dwellings; redesign matters such as making some roads culs-de-sac and closing off back lanes which serve no useful function, in order to frustrate criminal activity; measures to establish improved management arrangements in housing estates; necessary works to vacant dwellings which have been vandalised to bring them back quickly into stock for letting; the engagement of consultants to assist local authorities in the formulation of projects; and other measures seen as necessary to improve living conditions for residents and to enhance safety.
Planning and progressing projects under the programme are the responsibility of the local authorities. However, in formulating their projects, authorities must adopt an integrated approach which actively involves the community in the projects. Authorities are also required to set clear objectives for projects and to establish relevant baseline data on the areas concerned to allow objective assessment of the impact of the programme.