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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 24 Jun 1999

Vol. 507 No. 1

Written Answers. - Ballymun Regeneration Scheme.

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

74 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the status of Ballymun Regeneration Limited; and the terms of the relationship between the company and Dublin Corporation. [16213/99]

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

75 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if any function of Ballymun Regeneration Limited which will impinge on the reserved functions of the members of the Dublin City Council will require the approval of the elected councillors before any decisions are brought into operation. [16214/99]

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

76 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has given Dublin Corporation a formal written commitment setting out the cost elements for which it will receive funding for the works proposed by Ballymun Regeneration Limited with the phasing arrangements for receipt of the grant instalments in addition to the housing capital allocation; and, if so, if he will make a copy of this commitment and these arrangements available. [16215/99]

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

77 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the Local Government Auditor will be entitled to unrestricted access to all the financial records of Ballymun Regeneration Limited on the same basis he is entitled to the financial records of any local authority, notwithstanding that Ballymun Regeneration Limited may appoint its own auditor to carry out an audit of its affairs under the Companies Acts. [16216/99]

Joe Higgins

Ceist:

78 Mr. Higgins (Dublin West) asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if the accounts of Ballymun Regeneration Limited will be made available for public inspection on an annual basis on the same basis as the accounts of any local authority. [16217/99]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 74, 75, 76, 77 and 78 together.

Ballymun Regeneration Limited is a limited company established under the Companies Acts, and is under the aegis of Dublin Corporation. The board of the company consists of an indepen dent chairman, two city councillors, five community representatives, three corporation officials, one Eastern Health Board official and one private sector representative, all of whom were appointed by Dublin Corporation. The company is responsible for the implementation of the strategic master plan for the regeneration of the Ballymun area, which addresses the economic and social regeneration needs of the area as a whole. This involves the demolition of all high rise flat structures and their replacement with low rise housing, the development of a new town centre and the provision of ancillary facilities.
Functions that are reserved to the elected members will continue to be performed by the city council in the normal way. The company meets with and reports to a specially established sub-committee on Ballymun and proposals approved by the sub-committee are put before the city council where the exercise of a reserved function is required.
The regeneration of Ballymun is governed by the master plan which was prepared by Ballymun Regeneration Limited in partnership with the local community and Dublin Corporation. The master plan sets out an overall cost estimate for the anticipated building programme which for the most part relates to housing construction. Annual funding allocations for this programme are determined in the normal way having regard to needs and commitments.
In accordance with the requirements of the Companies Acts, the board of directors of the company are required to prepare annual accounts and I understand that the first set of accounts are now being finalised and audited by the company's auditors. All of the financial transactions for the company are made through Dublin Corporation's finance department and are reflected in the corporation's capital account. In this way, the company's financial transactions and accounting procedures are subject to examination and scrutiny by the local government auditor. It is also a requirement under the Companies Acts that an audited copy of the annual accounts be submitted to the Companies Office where they are available for public inspection. I understand that copies of the accounts will be submitted to Dublin Corporation and will be circulated to the elected members.
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