Vol. 488 No. 7
272 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the proposals, if any, he has to extend the urban renewal scheme to the Barony of Erris, County Mayo, in view of the fact that other areas in Mayo have benefited greatly from this scheme which in turn make these other places more attractive to investors to the detriment of the Belmullet region. [6981/98]
Qualification of urban renewal areas for tax incentives under the new urban renewal scheme which is due to come into operation on 1 August 1998 will be considered on the basis of integrated area plans prepared by local authorities for areas of greatest priority in urban renewal terms. Guidelines for the new scheme set out the criteria to be used by local authorities in the selection of areas for such integrated area plans and provide guidance on the content of these plans. A copy of these guidelines is available in the Oireachtas Library. The guidelines make it clear that local authorities are expected to give priority to areas in cities and towns with strong urban characteristics and the highest concentrations of physical decay and socio-economic disadvantage in selecting areas for the preparation of integrated area plans.
Under the new scheme an area will only qualify for incentives if it lies within an urban area for which the relevant local authority prepares such a plan. It will be a matter for the relevant local authority to demonstrate how any town for which a plan is prepared meets the criteria for the new scheme.
