Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Dec 1997

Vol. 484 No. 1

Written Answers. - URBAN Scheme.

Proinsias De Rossa

Ceist:

60 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation whether his Department has approved projects under the URBAN scheme; if so, the location and nature of the projects approved; the amount of moneys drawn down; whether all of the available URBAN funding has been designated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18452/97]

Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation (Dr. McDaid)

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department has lead responsibility for the implementation of the Community-wide URBAN Initiative in Ireland. As such it chairs the monitoring committee for the Operational Programme for URBAN in Ireland, 1996-99, but it has no function in relation to the approval of individual projects. This role rests with the steering group in each of the selected areas — all of which are now incorporated as limited companies — which make their decisions in the light of their local action plans.

All the available funding under URBAN in Ireland, IR£21 million, has been allocated to the three areas in which the programme is being implemented. The three areas are Ballymun-Finglas-Darndale, west Tallaght-Clondalkin and the north side of Cork city.

Actual payments are handled by the local authorities in each of the three areas. An initial tranche of funds — £200,000 — was paid over to each steering group in June-July 1997 and it is anticipated that the second instalments, in the region of £500,000 each, will be advanced before year end.