I congratulate Deputy McDowell on his maiden speech in the House. I also congratulate the Minister and the Minister of State opposite. This is also the first opportunity I have had to congratulate you, a Cheann Comhairle. I thank the Minister for coming back into the House after such a long day. It is important to give him the opportunity to clarify his intentions in relation to community amenity grants, which were announced formally earlier this month but which had been notified informally to many groups last month. Some of these were groups who had not been successful in their applications last year. In particular, I wish to clarify whether the Minister is proposing a general review or whether we are talking about axing these grants entirely. In the context of today's discussion at Question Time regarding a revised Book of Estimates, is this one of the negative provisions?
I should like the Minister to take into account that my telephone has been ringing all day due to queries by my constituents about the reports in the national newspapers that these grants are being frozen. Many of these people are involved in youth clubs, scouting associations and residents' associations and they have already begun planning in anticipation of receiving these grants. I overheard on the monitor some of the Minister's remarks to the outgoing Minister in relation to the method of announcing these grants. Perhaps some letters were not properly dotted and some ts not crossed, but that is standard practice. There is certainly a precedent on the other side of the House and it represents some of the corners that are cut in politics.
It is fundamentally important that we had made specific allocation for these grants in the context of a very severe budget which, perhaps, had certain electoral consequences. There was a budgetary commitment and the Minister and the Taoiseach indicated today that essentially they would stick to our Book of Estimates. The first priority of the Minister for the Environment is the provision of adequate services for the community. Many of the communities I represent are in great need and are under-served with community facilities. I am asking the Minister to honour the commitment already given and ensure that this provision is protected and, if possible, expanded. Last year, the first of its existence, it proved to be an immensely successful boost to all the local authorities in the provision of community facilities. It was also a most effective boost to employment. The Minister's party in their pre-electoral document made certain commitments to the construction industry for expenditure of the order of £300 million. I am asking that this comparatively minor figure of £3.7 million, which has the double advantage of giving a boost to construction and a major advantage to local communities in terms of facilities, should be honoured. The Minister should fight hard to retain this figure and this commitment.
Is his review intended to examine the nature of these proposals and ensure that they are bona fide? I do not think there will be any problem in this respect because in the Dublin city area the vast bulk of them are sponsored by the local authority and are projects which the local authorities themselves were trying to fund out of smaller resources they take from the provision of other major services which it is their responsibility to provide.
There are six major projects in my own area, two scout halls and a sport facility for a youth club being three of them. I am sorry the Leas-Cheann Comhairle is not here because I know he and Deputy Michael Barrett would be able to back me up on the great need there is in a community such as Finglas south. It has been in existence for 15 or 17 years and the first community facility is being built there by a private businessman. The local authority have yet to provide anything other than an open park in that area. These community grants were the first sign of hope. These are communities which simply cannot raise funds for themselves.
When Deputy Tunney was Minister of State at the Department of Education a £25,000 grant was made to a scout group. That was five years ago, but they were not able to go any further because they were unable to raise the funding. In the interim they have raised a figure in the region of £20,000, but the building will cost £100,000. The projected grant of £50,000 would have made it absolutely certain that they would be able to build this year, instead of running from school hall to school hall with hundreds of children providing one of the few facilities for young people in the area. I know it is a large grant, but it is very much needed in this area. The football club also need a grant, as do the residents' association who want to obtain £10,000 for the provision of water and sewerage. There is also a need for a community hall in the Ballymun area, one of the most deprived areas in the whole country. These are six projects in my constituency and I am sure every other TD could mention similar undertakings in his own area.
I am asking that the commitment to these groups be honoured. There is an element of social justice involved. During the election campaign there was a justifiable question-mark over what many people saw as buying a pig in a poke in relation to the incoming Government's policies. People were very much aware that they had not spelled out what they were going to do. It is quite clear that their worries were justified. In trying to make cuts, I suggest this is one area the Government should leave alone. Some of the suggestions we put forward might be looked at, such as the axing of a couple of ministries of State, which would be a ongoing saving.
Perhaps I am unduly worried and the Minister will say this is a genuine review to satisfy himself as to the nature of these projects. Perhaps he anticipates being in a position to give the green light to most of the projects in the very near future. I ask that the decision should be made speedily so that people will know where they stand. I will be interested to hear the Minister's comments.
