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Urban Renewal Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2019

Tuesday, 12 February 2019

Questions (757, 764)

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy

Question:

757. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the eligibility criteria for applications to the urban regeneration and development fund for the development of community arts centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6662/19]

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Barry Cowen

Question:

764. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the details of the €100 million capital allocation to the urban regeneration and development fund; the date in 2019 the fund will roll out; if it will be impacted by the cost overrun with the national children's hospital; if he or his officials have been consulted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6876/19]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 757 and 764 together.

The 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. The first call for proposals under the Fund was launched in July 2018 and in November, I announced details of the 88 successful proposals for funding, details of which are published on my Department's website at the following link:

www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/urdf_-_2019_funding_allocations_0.pdf.

My Department has been engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on a regular basis in respect of the URDF and Project Ireland 2040 delivery. The Government is committed to delivering Project Ireland 2040 within the overall multi-year resource envelope that has been set out. For 2019, the overall Exchequer capital allocation across Government has increased by €1,325 million or just over 22% above the 2018 allocation as stated in the Revised Estimates for Public Services 2019. With regard to implications arising from the National Children’s Hospital project, following on from discussions at Government today, my colleague, the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform has outlined how the additional cost pressures will be accommodated with a minimum of disruption to the scheduled roll-out of key infrastructure projects under Project Ireland 2040. Among the measures contributing to the accommodation of the increased costs is an updated profiling of expenditure under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund, which indicates that €13m of drawdown under the Fund can be reprofiled from 2019 to 2020 without causing delays to projects.

With regard to funding eligibility of community arts centres, the objective of the URDF is to support compact and sustainable development in order to enable a greater proportion of residential and mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and towns and to ensure that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people choose to live and work, as well as to invest and to visit. I would welcome, therefore, any types of proposals that assist in fulfilling this objective, which can include the development of community arts centres if integrated within a broader strategy for the area in question. The types of proposals eligible for funding included, but were not limited, to the following:

- Active land management, including the acquisition, planning, design, enabling through servicing, decontamination or otherwise, of areas, sites and buildings;

- Measures to address building vacancy;

- Building refurbishment, redevelopment and/or demolition;

- The development of areas, sites and buildings and the strategic relocation of uses or activities;

- Public amenity, planting, streetscape/public realm, parks, recreational facilities, safety, security and/or crime prevention works;

- Infrastructure related to housing, economic or skills development (including enterprise and tourism), transport and services infrastructure;

- Infrastructure that enables improved accessibility, in particular sustainable modes such as walking and cycling, public transport and multi-modal interchange, but also including roads, bridges and car parking;

- Transition to a low carbon and climate resilient society, in an urban context.

My Department is currently engaging with successful applicants in respect of the progression of their proposals in 2019. As the process of finalising agreements with successful applicants is currently ongoing, project conditions will only be concluded after this process which can, in part, involve commercially sensitive information or proposals subject to a formal consent or acquisition process at a later point.

It is expected that a second call for proposals for 2020 funding will be launched later in Q1 2019 and a workshop for applicants will be organised in advance. It is envisaged that this application period will run until summer 2019.

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