Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 Jun 2000

Vol. 521 No. 4

Adjournment Debate. - One-Stop Shops.

Mr. M. Brennan

I wish to raise the delay in the commencement of the one-stop shop in Tubbercurry, County Sligo, which was approved by the Minister for the Environment and Local Government on 28 May 1999. Sligo County Council made a good submission to the Department.

I was delighted with the Minister's announcement of this project last year. I had pursued the project with him for some time and I was particularly pleased that he sanctioned it. The provision of a one-stop shop in Tubbercurry will be of great benefit not only to the town but also to the region of south Sligo which I represent. The area is sparsely populated. Within a seven mile radius of the town there is a population of 14,000 people, of whom 1,800 reside in Tubbercurry.

The local authority services to be provided include a branch library, which will be one of the most modern in the country, and a planning office to which people will be able to apply for planning permissions. At present, there are between 300 and 400 applications for planning permission in the Tubbercurry area as a result of rural renewal. There will be a housing loans service. It will also be possible to come to the one-stop shop in Tubbercurry from any town in the surrounding area to tax one's car. Other services to be located there will include the Revenue Commissioners, general purposes administration, grants, licences, special projects offices, Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs, the National Social Services Board, the North Western Health Board which will have two floors in the building, FÁS, Sligo County Enterprise Board, Leader and North West Tourism. Members will be aware that the area is renowned for its tourism industry.

This amounts to a mini decentralisation of local government and Departments. A total of 13 months have elapsed since the project was approved by the Minister. A design team has been in place for some time. What is causing the delay with the project? Why is it not progressing? Construction was due to have started in the first half of this year.

Thirteen county councils have been approved by the Department for one-stop shops and I am delighted that Sligo County Council and the Minister chose Tubbercurry. I am anxious that this project should proceed as soon as possible. This year at least four more one-stop shops will be up and running. When the shop in Tubbercurry is opened it will enhance Tubbercurry, particularly Humbert Street where it will be built. At present, there is a number of derelict buildings on the street and I look forward to construction starting.

I am anxious that this facility be up and running as soon as possible. I have put a great deal of work into it. When the Taoiseach visited Sligo and Tubbercurry I arranged for a deputation and the Tubbercurry chamber of commerce to meet him and we put the case for the one-stop shop. It was approved 13 months ago and I hope it will not be long before it is operational.

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment and Local Government (Mr. D. Wallace)

I thank Deputy Brennan for raising this matter and I apologise for the unavoidable absence of the Minister, Deputy Dempsey.

I first wish to clarify that no ministerial approval was necessary for the Tubbercurry one-stop shop project. This is a Sligo County Council project which was duly approved by the elected members on foot of a project proposal from the manager. The Minister did, however, approve total funding of £350,000 for the project under the national one-stop shop initiative and the Deputy was informed accordingly on 31 May 1999. This amount was allocated over a two year period – £100,000 in 1999 and £250,000 in 2000.

Due to the initial delays in the project, the council did not expend sufficient moneys to draw down the 1999 allocation. However, the Minister has brought forward the amount to 2000 so the full allocation is available to the council this year. Incidentally, this funding represents approximately 27% of the total project costs.

The reason for the delays in the project to date is that the council has had some difficulty acquiring a number of properties on Humbert Street, the site for the centre. The acquisitions are by way of a combination of compulsory purchase and negotiation. I understand that the difficulties have now been largely overcome. Full title for six properties on which the centre is to be located has now passed to the council. Separate processes are under way to acquire a seventh property, which will provide a second access to the centre, and for the acquisition of portions of rear gardens to allow for ample car parking. These will not impede the start of the development process.

The centre has been redesigned to provide a second floor, giving additional capacity. The council will put a model of the centre on display in early July to coincide with the start of the planning process. On this basis, it is expected that site work will start towards the end of the year with the centre becoming operational towards the end of 2001. As well as the full range of council services, including a branch library and motor tax, the one-stop-shop will provide various levels of service from other public service agencies and bodies. These include the North Western Health Board, social welfare services, the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Coillte, money advice and budgeting services, Revenue, North West Tourism, Marketing Sligo Forum, court services, North West Regional Fish eries, LEADER and local development and VEC and educational services.

Tubbercurry one-stop-shop will be a useful and vibrant facility for the people of the town and surrounding areas. The council is fully committed to getting it up and running as soon as possible and it will continue to get the Minister's support in bringing public services closer to the communities they serve.