Vol. 485 No. 2
325 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation where a pilot scheme for rural resettlement is to be introduced in Ireland in accordance with the operational programme for rural development as agreed as part of the community support framework; and when this will occur. [22688/97]
In concluding their overall mid-term review of CSF funded programmes earlier this year, the CSF monitoring committee decided that the operation of the local urban and rural development programme (OPLURD) would be reviewed by its national monitoring committee, and particularly by relevant Departments represented on the committee, to see what scope there was to make use of existing funds to introduce, inter alia, a pilot scheme for rural resettlement. To the extent that requirements were identified and that future resources became available within the programme, the CSF monitoring committee decided that such a scheme would be regarded as a priority for the use of such resources.
The national monitoring committee for OPLURD has already given some preliminary consideration to this issue and has requested my Department to explore the matter further, with all the Departments concerned, both in terms of requirements for such a scheme and availability of funding.
The matter is now under investigation with these Departments and other parties, with a view to presenting findings to the national monitoring committee for consideration.
