Vol. 544 No. 1
217 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the way in which the social inclusion expenditure moneys have been used in 2001 to date; the agencies of groups involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28117/01]
The social inclusion measures of the regional operational programmes of the national development plan, provided for in the vote of my Department are administered through Area Development Management Limited – ADM – and the local drugs task forces.
Up to the end of October, an amount of £30 million approximately has been transferred to ADM for expenditure on these measures. The funding is expended by ADM to resource the activities of 38 area partnership companies and 33 community groups in areas that have been designated as disadvantaged. The funds are allocated on the basis of detailed action plans prepared by the partnerships and community groups, which concentrate on three key action areas – services to the unemployed, community development and community based youth initiatives.
Since January 2001, the Cabinet committee on social inclusion has approved funding for the updated action plans of 12 of the 14 local drugs task forces. This funding has been allocated to task force projects covering a wide variety of initiatives in the areas of treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and awareness. In addition, over £5 million has been approved for 26 projects under the premises initiative for task force areas to meet their accommodation needs.
Question No. 218 answered with Question No. 73.
Questions Nos. 219 and 220 answered with Question No. 88.
