Vol. 530 No. 4
149 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government when approval will issue to Kilkenny County Council in respect of plans submitted to his Department under the 2000-06 operational programme for urban and village renewal to carry out environmental improvement projects. [4066/01]
Following on from the urban and village renewal grants scheme 1994-99, the National Development Plan 2000-2006 provides for a continuation of a programme of urban and village renewal with investment of over £100 million over the seven year period. This investment is divided between the operational programmes for the Border, midland and western region and the south and east region. The European Commission approved the operational programmes at the end of November 2000. Details of the urban and village renewal measures of the local infrastructure sub-programmes, including allocations, will be notified to local authorities in the next few weeks inviting submission of suitable proposals for funding under these measures.
The selection and prioritisation of projects to be funded under the new measures will be a matter for the local authorities, having regard to EU and national regulations and policies.
