Vol. 530 No. 2
79 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Finance when property owners in towns such as Ballybay, Castleblayney and Clones, County Monaghan, who have been approved for the town renewal scheme 2000 will be allowed to go ahead with the commercial element of that tax incentive scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3506/01]
As the Deputy is aware, my Department formally notified the European Commission of the business elements of the new town renewal scheme on 19 July 2000 around the same time as the specific towns selected for the scheme were announced by the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government. The Commission responded on 6 September 2000 with a request for additional information. The matter was then discussed in detail at meetings with the Commission and a reply has been sent to the Commission. As things stand, it appears that it will take some more months before the business tax incentives elements of the scheme are approved by the Commission. Such a delay is normal where Commission approval is concerned.
