Trevor Sargent
Ceist:379 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress, if any, on the urban and rural development monitoring committee established to monitor Structural Funds in Ireland. [27270/98]
Written Answers - EU Funding.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:383 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will report on the progress on the local development programme since the formation of the Government. [25748/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 383 together.
The Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development 1994-9 was designed to bring about social and economic development at a local level, to involve and enable local communities to be involved in that development in a formal way and to achieve physical improvements to the environment.
It comprises three main integrated sub-programmes on local enterprise which is managed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, integrated development of designated disadvantaged and other areas, and urban and village renewal which is managed by the Department of the Environment and Local Government. Technical assistance is provided for under the fourth sub-programme. Total funding under the programme as at 31 December 1998 is £339 million (EUR 437m). Expenditure under the OP to date has been progressing steadily, as follows: 1994 – £14 million (EUR 18m); 1995 – £56 million (EUR 68m); 1996 – £61 million (EUR 79m); 1997 – £76 million (EUR 102m); 1998 – £79 million (EUR 103m) (estimate) and currently totals £286 million (EUR 370m). Each of the sub-programmes is confident that all available funds will be committed and spent within programme deadlines.
My Department has particular responsibility for sub-programme 2 – integrated development of designated disadvantaged and other areas which is administered by ADM Ltd.
The monitoring committee for the operational programme for local urban and rural development 1994-9 has met on ten occasions since the operational programme was agreed. The last meeting was held on 7 October 1998. The next meeting is due to take place on 31 March 1999 and one of the main documents for that meeting will be the 1998 annual report. I will arrange to have a copy of this report forwarded to the Deputy following its adoption.
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:380 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress, if any, on the community initiatives monitoring committee established to monitor Structural Funds in Ireland. [27269/98]
Trevor Sargent
Ceist:381 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress, if any, on the urban initiative monitoring committee established to monitor Structural Funds in Ireland. [27267/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 and 381 together.
As there is no community initiatives monitoring committee as such, I take it that the Deputy's interest, in this instance, is the only community initiative for which my Department has lead responsibility, i.e. the community initiative known as the operational programme for URBAN 1996-9.
The Operational Programme for URBAN is designed to tackle urban issues in an integrated way, supporting business creation, improving infrastructure and the physical environment, providing customised training, and actions for equality of opportunity and social amenities, in line with the strategic action plans drawn up for each of the three areas. Total funding available under the URBAN OP is some £22.1 million (EUR 28.2 million). The OP makes funding available across a number of sub-programmes, one for each of the three selected areas in Ireland; the north Dublin area of Ballymun-Finglas-Darndale (sub-programme 1 – £10.4 million/EUR 13.3 million), west Tallaght-Clondalkin in south-west Dublin (sub-programme 2 – £5.4 million/EUR 6.9 million) and the northside of Cork city (sub-programme 3 – £5.4 million/EUR 6.9 million), sub-programme 4 funds technical assistance activities (£0.9million/EUR 1.1 million).
A total of £15.8 million (EUR 20.1 million) or 72 per cent of total available funding has been committed as of 31 December 1998. Actual expenditure under the OP to 31 December 1998 was some £6 million (EUR 7.7 million) or 27 per cent of the overall budget. Given the bottom-up nature of the programme, this initial low level of spend was to be expected particularly given the time needed to have the new collaborative structures put in place and the volume and scale of the community infrastructural projects being supported. However, the three steering groups under the OP expect a sharp increase in expenditure in 1999 and are confident of their ability to commit and spend all remaining funds within programme deadlines.
The monitoring committee for URBAN OP has met on five occasions since the OP was agreed. The next meeting is due to take place on 18 February 1999. One of the main documents for that meeting is the 1998 annual report. I will arrange to have a copy of this report forwarded to the Deputy following its adoption.