Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 Nov 2003

Vol. 575 No. 5

Written Answers. - Community Development.

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

54 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the extent to which his Department has assisted or intends to assist rural and-or urban community groups throughout the country through the aegis of the schemes operated by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28591/03]

Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Éamon Ó Cuív)

I refer the Deputy to Questions No. 432 of 3 December 2002 and Question Nos. 433 and 434 of 27 May 2003 in which I set out details of the many schemes and initiatives operated by my Department to assist rural and urban communities. In addition, I can inform the Deputy that the local development social inclusion programme is providing financial support to 38 partnership companies, 33 community groups and four employment pacts. The provision for the programme in 2004 is €42.2 million. The comparable adjusted figure for 2003 is €43.3 million. A total funding of €150 million is being provided for the Leader programme for the period 2000 to 2006.

In accordance with the bottom-up philosophy of rural development, the local Leader group is the decision-making authority in respect of the approval grants. Decisions are made within detailed operating rules drawn up by the Department and approved by the EU Commission. The CLÁR programme funds 22 measures ranging from local road improvements to village enhancement and sports capital grants. These measures are generally implemented on a co-funding basis with local authorities or other official agencies. The 2003 provision is €9.517 million. It will rise to €10.74 million in 2004.

The rural development fund also assists community groups. A total of €950,000 has been provided for the fund in the 2003 and 2004 Estimates. The scheme of grants for locally-based community and voluntary organisations will provide funding of €2.356 million in 2003 to several hundred community groups. There is an inclusion of €2.4 million in the 2004 Estimates for the scheme. The scheme of community support to older people will provide support for up to 9,000 elderly people this year. There is provision of €2.4 million in the Estimates for 2004 for this scheme. Community development support programmes will provide €21.24 million in 2003 to support 170 locally-based projects involved in anti-poverty and social inclusion initiatives in both rural and urban communities. In the 2004 Estimates €21.046 million has been allocated to these programmes.

In September, I announced funding of some €7.4 million over the coming three years for 58 community and voluntary organisations. The funds will be made available under the scheme of grants for training and supports in the community and voluntary sector and under the funding scheme to support the role of federations, networks and umbrella bodies in the community and voluntary sector.

My Department also has responsibility for the work of the 14 local drugs task forces in Dublin, Cork and Bray. It also funds the premises initiative which is designed to meet the accommodation needs of community based drugs projects. In 2003, the amount available to fund these initiatives, as well as the national advisory committee on drugs, was €16.16 million. In 2003, €15.88 million was allocated to young people's facilities and services fund development groups based in the 14 local drugs task forces areas as well as Carlow, Waterford, Limerick and Galway. In 2004, the allocation for the combined subhead for these drugs initiatives will be €33.5 million.

In 2003, €20.9 million was provided for schemes to benefit communities in Gaeltacht areas, including road improvement, marine works, group water schemes, leisure facilities and cultural initiatives. The amount provided in the 2004 Estimates is €21.5 million. A total provision of €8.479 million has been allocated to the islands division of my Department in 2003. While much of this allocation is in grants for capital works, an amount of €179,916 has been paid to date this year to fund four community groups. In 2004, it is estimated that €200,000 will be funded to such groups from a total allocation of €10 million. My Department has also allocated €500,000 to the INTERREG Ireland and Northern Ireland programmes in 2004 while €1.5 million has been provided to the PEACE II initiative.

Question No. 55 answered with Question No. 45.