Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 December 2018
691. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the reason projects that do not have the benefit of planning permission are being grant aided under the urban regeneration and development scheme announced on 26 November 2018 while other shovel-ready projects are not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50135/18]
View answerThe Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) was launched as part of Project Ireland 2040, to support the compact growth and sustainable development of Ireland's five cities, regional drivers and other large urban centres. I initiated the first call for proposals under the Fund in July 2018 and the deadline for submission of applications was 28 September.
A total of 189 applications were submitted to my Department and on 26 November I announced the successful applicants for 2019 funding, details of which are available on my Department's website at:
https://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/urdf_-_2019_funding_allocations_0.pdf .
There were two categories of submission, Category A for projects that were 'ready to go' and Category B to support the initial development of projects (Master-planning/Feasibility) to ensure a pipeline of projects into the future as the URDF is a rolling fund, with €2 billion available to 2027. The fund was over subscribed in both categories (A & B).
There were a group of projects that were not eligible or recommended due to the following general reasons:
(i) The proposal did not respond to core assessment criteria of the fund or the quality of the proposal was low;
(ii) The proposal was a routine capital project more related to other capital funding sources available through another department or agency;
(iii) The proposal was already commercially viable and would be better supported by market response; and
(iv) The proposal was not in compliance with state aid or the additionality factor/wider leveraging of the project was in question (Value For Money).
Projects were recommended for reasons including:
(i) The proposal responded well to the core assessment criteria of fund or the quality of the proposal was high;
(ii) The proposal offered an appropriate response to National Planning Framework considerations and objectives; and
(iii) The quality of the proposal offered leverage in the right location.
There were also those projects that, while not recommended at this time given the criteria above, were considered worthwhile if further developed. Such an approach was adopted to facilitate a continual pipeline of projects (Category B) for potential re-submission in subsequent calls for proposals.
In this regard, it is my intention to announce a second call for proposals early in 2019. My Department proposes to provide feedback in this regard and will engage further with applicants as appropriate.
