Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 3

Written Answers. - Urban Renewal Schemes.

Dan Neville

Question:

428 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason Rathkeale, County Limerick was excluded from the recent urban renewal designation, in view of the fact that there is a strong case for including Rathkeale due to the declining population, large transient population, the high unemployment level, the high levels of vacant and derelict premises, the lack of private sector house building activity with other problems of housing obsolescence, poor designs, the declining retail and commercial base and the negative image of Rathkeale, primarily due to its association with the travelling community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8118/99]

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Molloy)

Designations under the new urban renewal scheme were based on integrated area plans submitted by local authorities and were in line with recommendations made by the independent expert advisory panel on urban renewal which I established to assess all of the plans submitted.

The IAPs were drawn up on the basis of detailed guidelines prepared by the expert panel and issued to local authorities. These guidelines made it clear that, in selecting areas for the preparation of IAPs, local authorities were 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.

Rathkeale, in common with several other smaller towns, was unsuccessful in getting a recommendation for approval from the expert panel as its size made it impossible for it to meet the criteria for the new scheme and it failed to advance convincing arguments for treatment as a special case.

While the situation in Rathkeale was regarded as unique, the panel considered that the urban renewal scheme would be unlikely to rectify the particular problems associated with Rathkeale.

The expert panel exercised an independent role in assessing the plans submitted. The recommendations made by the panel were accepted in full and that is the basis on which designation is now being implemented.

The expert panel found also that many of the smaller towns which had not been recommended for designation contained a significant amount of urban townscape which had deteriorated badly. The proposed townscape restoration scheme is aimed at the restoration and conservation of townscapes in smaller towns. Local authorities, including Limerick County Council, will be asked to submit urban townscape plans by 1 August next. Guidelines are being prepared for issue to local authorities to assist them in preparing plans for this new scheme which is to be introduced in the autumn.