Written Answers - Community Development.
Seán Ryan
Question:
142
Mr. S. Ryan
asked the
Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
the measures which have been introduced to encourage and facilitate communities with a special focus on areas of disadvantage to pursue social and economic progress in their areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[8332/03]
As the Deputy will be aware, my Department is responsible for a wide range of schemes designed to support the social and economic development of communities both urban and rural, across the country. Following is a brief summary of these schemes:
The local development and social inclusion programme is delivered across three sub-measures – services to the unemployed; community development; and community based youth initiatives. The programme is delivered on the ground by 38 partnerships and 33 community groups. There is a provision of €44 million approximately in my Department's vote for this programme in 2003.
The RAPID programme is a focused initiative designed to prioritise and target Government expenditure, over a number of Departments, on the most concentrated areas of disadvantage in the country. There are two strands to the programme. Strand 1 targets 25 urban areas while strand 2 targets 20 provincial towns around the country.
The local drugs task forces operate in areas experiencing the worst levels of drug misuse, particularly heroin. The role of the LDTFs is to prepare local action plans which include a range of measures to tackle drug misuse in the areas of treatment, rehabilitation, education, prevention and curbing local supply. In total, the Government has allocated more than €51 million to implement the projects in the plans of the task forces since 1997 and a further €11.5 million has been allocated to community based drugs projects, most of which are based in the LDTF areas, under the premises initiative. The total 2003 allocation for drugs related projects is €16.159 million, the bulk of which is for LDTF projects.
The young people's facilities and services fund was established in 1998 as part of the Government's overall strategy to tackle drug misuse. The fund aims to assist in the development of youth facilities, including sport and recreational facilities and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. An amount of approximately €68 million has been allocated to date under the first round of funding. Some €15.877 million has been allocated to the fund for 2003. More than €21 million has been provided for 2003 under the community development support programme and programme of core funding for community and family support groups, administered as part of the social inclusion measure of the National Development Plan 2000-06.
The community development programme is designed to develop a network of community development projects in communities experiencing high unemployment, poverty and disadvantage. The programme provides funding towards staff overhead and administration costs associated with running a resource centre. There are currently 153 projects receiving funding or approved in principle for inclusion in the programme. The programme of core funding for community and family support groups provides support for smaller scale self-help work in specific target groups that experience disadvantage. At present, there are some 50 groups participating in the programme or in the process of being set up. Funding under these programmes assists in relation to the needs of women and children, those with disabilities, the homeless, lone parent families, the elderly, the unemployed, young people at risk, Traveller and other disadvantaged groups. A further €2.4 million has been provided for grant schemes which concentrate on a wide range of supports for local self help groups and community development and on the provision of seed money to enable groups to pilot initiatives to meet new and emerging community needs.
My Department also has a significant role in the implementation of the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation established in 1995 to promote cross-Border peace and reconciliation through the economic development of the communities most affected by the conflict and geographical isolation. The programme is targeted at the six southern Border counties and Northern Ireland. An amount of €12.49 million has been allocated for PEACE in the Department's vote in 2003. Of this allocation some €11 million has been provided for the support of those aspects of the programme administered on behalf of the Department by ADM and the Combat Poverty Agency. The remaining €1.44 million is allocated for the rural development aspects of the joint cross-Border programmes.
Some €1.309 million has been allocated in 2003 to the various INTERREG measures under the remit of my Department. The strategic focus of the rural initiative measure in the joint INTERREG Ireland-Northern Ireland programme is on the development of integrated area based strategies to address rural disadvantage. The measure is aimed at area-based cross-border regeneration groups which can be developed, managed, administered and delivered jointly in four to five small geographically defined areas of rural disadvantage. A sum of €0.627 million has been allocated to this measure in 2003.
My Department also has a specific role in the development of cross-Border community infrastructure measure, which aims to give people in border regions the opportunity to take part in the development of their communities. Responsibility for this aspect of the INTERREG programme is shared with the Department of Social Development in Northern Ireland. A sum of €0.133 million has been allocated to this measure in 2003. Under the joint INTERREG Ireland-Wales programme, support is being provided, in the eligible area, for joint projects promoting rural business skills, rural tourism, rural health and on and off farm diversification to compliment agricultural activities. An amount of €0.549 million has been allocated for this measure in 2003.
The EU Leader programmes administered by my Department provides funding to local groups to develop their own areas. In line with the bottom-up philosophy of Leader, the local group is the decision-making authority on funding for projects in their own locality, subject to compliance with EU rules and regulations. There is a strong community focus in the programmes and substantial funding is directed towards community type projects. While the programmes do not have a special focus on areas of disadvantage the activities of Leader groups in implementing projects have a positive effect on areas of disadvantage. An amount of €11.806 million has been allocated for this programme in 2003, while a further of €9.457 million has been allocated to the area-based rural development initiative which focuses on the development of integrated area based strategies to address rural disadvantage.
CLÁR funds and provides co-funding to Departments, State agencies and local authorities in accelerating investment in selected priority developments. These measures support physical, community and social infrastructure across a variety of measures electricity, roads, water and sewerage, enhancement, community initiatives and islands. The provision for this programme in 2003 is €9.517 million. My Department is also responsible for the administration of a range of measures designed to facilitate and support the development of Gaeltacht and island communities. In 2003 €6.129 million is available in the Department's vote for capital grants in respect of economic and social development on the offshore islands and €2.35 million is available in respect of subsidies for operation of ferry-air services between certain islands and the mainland.
In addition to current funding of €8.72 million, capital funding of €24 million has been made available to Údarás na Gaeltachta in 2003 to achieve its objectives of developing the economy of the Gaeltacht and encouraging the preservation and the extension of the Irish language as the principal language of the Gaeltacht community. Údarás also promotes and supports community development and pursues a range of language and cultural activities involving individuals, community groups and industries throughout the Gaeltacht.
Under the Gaeltacht improvement schemes capital grants are available for the development of maritime works in the Gaeltacht, the improvement of Gaeltacht roads, the provision and improvement of amenities, such as community halls, sports fields and other facilities. By improving the infrastructure, these grants are aimed at adding to the social, cultural and economic life of the Gaeltacht areas, as well as strengthening the Irish language as the community language within such areas. A provision of €10.294 million has been made for these schemes in 2003.
Grants are also made available from my Department to qualified applicants in Gaeltacht areas to build new homes for themselves and to improve their existing homes. A provision of €4 million has been made for this purpose in 2003. Gaeltacht households which accommodate Irish students while they are attending Irish summer colleges in their locality are paid a grant by my Department for this purpose. The Irish summer colleges play a vital role in the local economy in the Gaeltacht – particularly in the more disadvantaged areas. An annual grant is also paid to households in Gaeltacht areas who use the Irish language as their normal everyday language and this grant helps foster the Irish language in Gaeltacht areas. An allocation of €6.88 million has been made for these schemes in 2003. My Department also has a €8.479 million funding in 2003 for islands to ensure the development of infrastructure and services on offshore islands. A key objective for my Department is the achievement of the optimal level of co-ordination and synergy across these many schemes.
Question No. 143 answered with Question No. 125.
Question No. 144 answered with Question No. 133.
Question No. 145 answered with Question No. 100.
