asked the Taoiseach if he will clarify his statement in the Dáil on Tuesday 14 December 1982 that where good things are being done which need to be done in deprived areas of our cities, they will not be halted because of the change of Government.
Ceisteanna—Questions . Oral Answers . - Deprived Areas Improvements .
1.
: I wish to assure the Deputy that our Government are firmly committed to all worthwhile improvements in the deprived areas of all our cities. Within the limits of the financial constraints imposed by the state of our public finances we will allocate the necessary funds to achieve these improvements.
: I should like to ask the Taoiseach if he considers that the recent withdrawal of funding from the North Centre City Community Action Programme in Dublin's inner city, and the termination of that programme which co-ordinates and administers youth employment and training schemes in the inner city in co-operation with AnCO, the Department of Education, the Government's inner city group and the active support of the ITGWU, CERT, the FAI and other bodies, is a clear contradiction of his position which he has restated in the House today?
: No. As the Deputy has pointed out, funds are available to his organisation from AnCO to run training courses and from the Department of Education for youth employment schemes. The secretary of his organisation is funded by the Eastern Health Board. On the question of direct funding, that was continued exceptionally after the Combat Poverty Agency was terminated by another Government. The Deputy was notified in October by the previous Government that funding would not be continuing but our Government provided temporary funding in the early weeks of this year, contrary to what was said to the Deputy in October by the last Government. The whole question of funding is something which will be considered further when we will re-establish the poverty agency.
: I do not wish to engage in an argument with the Taoiseach and I accept that the Chair would rule me out of order if I tried, but something useful may come out of the question. It seems to me that there is confusion behind the Taoiseach's reply which is based on inaccurate information. The Taoiseach stated——
: The Deputy cannot make a speech. He must put a question.
: I am leading into a question. The Taoiseach has said that there is funding available from AnCO and other agencies for this project and I should like to ask him if he would examine that information further given, as I am aware, that the funding available from AnCO and the Department of Education is devoted entirely to running——
: The Deputy must put a question. We will have to get Question Time back on the rails and keep it there.
: I am leading to a question. The funding available to the project goes entirely to the training and youth employment schemes. The funding that was available from the Department of Social Welfare is essential to keep that project in operation so that it will be possible to carry out the other schemes in co-operation with AnCO and the Department of Education.
: The Deputy is moving to Question No. 306 which is to the Minister for Social Welfare and I do not think I can get into the area of answering that.
: A final supplementary from Deputy Gregory. The Deputy has made two speeches already on this matter.
: Will the Taoiseach instruct an official in his Department to investigate my statement and to meet representatives of the project to establish the accuracy of what I have said and the accuracy of his reply?
: The reply I made in regard to funds was read word for word from a letter from the Deputy to me on 10 March last.
: Is the Taoiseach in a position to outline the intention of the Government in regard to a proposal initiated by my Government to acquire the Port and Docks site and develop it for residential and community purposes?
: That is a separate question which will be answered by the appropriate Minister, if it is tabled.
: The Taoiseach is aware that there was a decision by his Government, and my Government, about that site——
: The question is a general one.
: The question deals with deprived areas of the city and what I am dealing with concerns one of the important items in the programme of the previous Coalition Government, and the last Fianna Fáil Government, for the development of the inner city on the north side of Dublin.
: This is a general question.
: My supplementary is about a specific site.
: The question is a general one about policy.
: I will return to the matter on another occasion.
Question No. 2 withdrawn.