Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 3

Written Answers. - Urban Renewal Schemes.

Michael Ring

Question:

98 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the expert advisory panel for the urban renewal designation scheme actually visited the town of Ballinrobe in County Mayo; and, if so, if he will give the dates of the visits. [20919/00]

Michael Ring

Question:

99 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason a particular building (details supplied) in the town of Ballinrobe, County Mayo, was omitted under the urban renewal designation scheme. [20921/00]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together.

Under the Town Renewal Act, 2000, it is a matter for the relevant county councils to propose sites for designation for tax incentives within the area covered by a town renewal plan. In doing so they are assisted by the detailed guidelines issued to them; these set out the purposes and aims of the schemes, the criteria to be used in selecting towns for which plans are to be prepared and advice on the approach to be followed in preparing their plans, including selecting sites for designation. County councils were advised that the extent of designation must necessarily be limited and well targeted and that only sites that clearly fulfilled the objectives of the plans should be designated. The award of incentives can only be jus tified where it can be shown that they will assist in overcoming identifiable barriers to development.

The role of the expert panel set up by me was to assess the local authority's proposals and recommend sub-areas or sites for designation on the basis of the plans submitted by county councils. In a number of cases additional information was requested from the relevant county council to facilitate examination of the proposals; in the case of Ballinrobe, Mayo County Council was asked to submit additional photographs of a number of the sites. The panel was confined to examining the sites or sub-areas recommended by county councils by reference to the criteria contained in the guidelines; this process did not involve the panel carrying out inspections. Therefore the panel did not visit Ballinrobe.

The building referred to in the Deputy's question was included in a large site containing mainly commercial premises and offices proposed by Mayo County Council for refurbishment tax incentives. In the view of the expert panel, the proposal for the entire site was insufficiently targeted and the case for the incentives was not made.