Vol. 523 No. 4
12 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has received proposals from the Network of Area Based Partnerships for the new local development measure due to be implemented in January 2001; and the funding which will be made available for this programme for the period 2000-2006. [21192/00]
Social inclusion and child care sub-programmes included in both regional operational programmes of the National Development Plan include a local development measure. This measure requires local action plans to be drawn up by partnership companies and ADM community groups, in consultation with the director of community and enterprise of the relevant city and county development boards. A significant number of these plans have already been submitted to Area Development Management Limited and are being evaluated by ADM's appraisal committees for the southern and eastern region and for the Border, midlands and western region. A sum of £228 million has been set aside for this programme for the period 2000-06.
Are there moves towards integrating the partnerships and the local drugs task forces in the next development programme?
No, not at present, as the people concerned do not want the current focus of the local drugs task force to be changed. Given the current drugs problem, they do not want that focus to be watered down. They want that focus concentrated on that area. If there were an improvement in the drugs problems in years to come, there could be closer links between the two groups, as there is an overlap on the issues with which they deal.
What element of the programme will address the problem of early school leaving? Will the partnerships have responsibility under the programme for addressing that problem?
We are awaiting receipt of many of the partnerships' plans. The problem of early school leaving is addressed by various projects undertaken by many of the existing partnerships. I cannot give the Deputy a specific answer to his question as many of the partnerships' plans have not been submitted, although I could give the Deputy details on this matter.
The programme is for the period 2000-06. It is now October 2000 and the Minister of State is saying he does not have the plan yet.
We are awaiting plans for the partnership groups. At present 28 plans have been appraised, 31 are awaiting appraisal and a further 12 have yet to be received. We will have the plans together by the end of the year. We have spent £19 million in 2000, but it is more of a planning year and we expect next year to spend in the region of £30 million.
In the implementation of the new plan, what mechanisms will be incorporated in the delivery to ensure the resources being applied are being focused on the real issues as identified by the individual area plans? What quality control will be built into the delivery of the service?
A lot of that is done through Departments and ADM to make sure it is delivered to the right areas. As the Deputy will know, many of these plans are locally based and the idea is that locally based groups and estate agents work to address the problems that they see as relevant to their area.
Surely we should be guaranteed effectiveness.
We ask ADM to look at how the money is spent to make sure that it is effective.
That concludes Priority Questions.
