Vol. 501 No. 2
342 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the four designated areas in which the integrated services project is being developed; the structure in place in each; the additional general and specific education budgets put at the discretion of the steering committee; the evaluation criteria being used to assess the success of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5738/99]
The four designated integrated service project areas are: Dublin North-East inner city, Dublin canal communities – St Teresas Gardens, St Micheals Estate, Dolphin House, Fatima Mansions – Jobstown, County Dublin and Togher, Cork.
A national co-ordinator has been appointed who is based in ADM in addition to four development and monitoring officers. I have assigned Department officials to each of designated areas who will work on an implementation team representative of all Government and statutory agencies in consultation with the local communities and the development and monitoring officer. An induction seminar was held yesterday 24 February to brief all Government and state agency personnel assigned to work on this initiative.
The initiative is intended to address a hierarchy of needs including housing and environment, social order, community development, health, childcare, education, recreation, youth initiatives, training and employment. In my view, co-ordination of all state services and agencies in addressing needs is the crucial first step in optimising the benefits of services to families and individuals in these communities and to break the traditional intergenerational cycle of disadvantage. The way in which resources are deployed is as important as the level of resources available to State agencies. Research has shown that those most at risk of not benefiting from the system are the children of the unemployed or the children of early school leavers. Educational achievement therefore both initial and second chance, is a key issue to be addressed within the overall strategy. Until the implementation team is fully operational on the ground it is not possible to predict the level of additional resources, if any, which will be required in the designated areas. I am fully committed to the concept of integrated services initiatives and I assure the Deputy that the issue of resources will be addressed as appropriate.
Ongoing monitoring of the initiative will be undertaken by the development and monitoring officer at local level in conjunction with the implementation team for each area. It will probably be the end of this year or early next year before the interdepartmental committee on local development will be in a position to consider lessons from the first phase of the project.
