Vol. 502 No. 2
25 Proinsias De Rossa asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he has raised with the EU authorities the possibility of retaining the URBAN programmes after 1999; the response, if any, to these representations; the proposals, if any, he has for alternative funding from national sources for these areas if the URBAN programmes are not continued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7390/99]
URBAN is a community initiative of the European Commission under which assistance is made available for integrated development programmes for a limited number of geographically defined deprived urban areas throughout the EU. The Operational Programme for URBAN in Ireland has total funding of about £21 million over the period 1994 to 1999 and operates in three areas: north Dublin, Ballymun, Finglas and Darndale; south Dublin, west Tallaght and north Clondalkin; and the northside of Cork City.
Although the Commission's Agenda 2000 proposals do not contemplate the continuance of the URBAN initiative after 1999, the Government has decided that Ireland should press for the retention of the URBAN Initiative in the context of the overall package being sought for Ireland. Concern has already been expressed on behalf of the Irish government at the structural actions group and at the general affairs committee in Brussels that the type of schemes and projects assisted by URBAN in this round should not be neglected in the event that URBAN is not renewed. In response, the Commission has stated that the type of scheme and project now assisted by URBAN could also be assisted from within the general scope of the European Regional Development Fund and the ESF post-1999.
The Commission is seeking to mainstream the lessons learned via its Framework for Action on Sustainable Urban Development which will influence urban programming in the future. The Framework for Action's main themes reflect those of Ireland's current Operational Programme for Local, Urban and Rural Development – LURD. Whatever the position with regard to the URBAN Programme post-1999, the Government has indicated that it will not be deflected from its commitment to tackle social exclusion in deprived urban areas. In relation to those programmes in the area of social exclusion, which are eligible for EU co-financing under the current round, the Government has indicated that it will, within the overall parameters of EU and other funding available post-1999, ensure that the objectives of these programmes remain a priority.
The Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation is taking account of the experience being gained from the implementation of the URBAN initiative in the cities of Dublin and Cork, in the context of the formulation of its strategy for local development post-1999.
