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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 7

Written Answers. - Operational Programme for URBAN.

Proinsias De Rossa

Question:

50 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will make a statement on the progress of the three projects under the Operational Programme for URBAN in Ireland; the conclusions, if any, that can be drawn from the work of the projects in regard to Government policy on dealing with disadvantage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7170/98]

As the Deputy is aware, the steering groups in each of the three URBAN areas have invested significant time and energy into ensuring that the end result of their local plans will make a lasting improvement on the lives of the people living there. To date actual expenditure has been relatively modest, given that the large scale infrastructural projects must be fully costed and cleared under the planning regulations. However, activity levels are steadily increasing as more and more projects come on stream and I am confident that the programme will deliver on its objectives.

A mid-term review of the URBAN operational programme is now under way and an external evaluator has recently been appointed. This will provide an independent assessment of the impact of the programme in Ireland and identify the lessons to be learned from such a targeted integrated strategy to assist people in urban areas of greatest disadvantage. The results of this review, and the ongoing monitoring of the programme, will be brought to the attention of the local development policy committee, which I chair, and in turn to the Cabinet committee on social inclusion.
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