Written Answers. - URBAN Operational Programme.
Question:
304
Dr. Upton
asked the
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation
if an assessment has been made of the North Dublin URBAN Initiative 1997-2000; and the number of projects established under the programme which are still in operation.
[9102/01]
The operational programme for URBAN 1996-1999 was an EU wide operational programme – OP – implemented in three geographically defined deprived urban areas to address, in an integrated way, social exclusion by building partnership arrangements between local authorities and other local structures to help in achieving a lasting improvement in the living standards of the people in these areas.
The north Dublin area of Ballymun-Finglas-Darndale was one of the three areas selected for funding under the OP URBAN in Ireland 1996-1999. The other two areas were west Tallaght-Clondalkin in south-west Dublin and the northside of Cork city. The north Dublin area was allocated £10.3 million of a total EU and Exchequer funding package of £22.7 million.
Under the terms of the OP, legally binding commitments had to be in place for all projects by 31 December 1999. The final date for expenditure under the programme is 31 December 2001. All available funding under the programme was fully committed by the due date and all of the URBAN element of expenditure on projects has now taken place.
The external evaluator for the programme is preparing his final evaluation which is expected to be completed shortly and will be submitted to the members of the former monitoring committee. In addition, my Department is in the course of preparing the final report on the OP, for submission to the European Commission, as part of the final claim for EU funds under the programme.
Last December the board of regeneration of URBAN North Dublin Limited, ROUND, the company established to implement the URBAN programme in Ballymun-Finglas-Darndale, published its own report for the period 1997-2000. This report details all the projects funded by it. An independent evaluation of the north Dublin URBAN action plan, which was commissioned by the ROUND board will, I understand, be available shortly.
Meanwhile I am advised that of the 62 projects funded by ROUND, eight were once-off projects, that is, research and feasibility type studies etc. Another 47 projects, including infrastructure projects with once-off capital grants, are still in operation. The remaining seven projects are no longer in operation, one of which ceased activities during the programme, and the others have not received any further funding.
