Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Apr 2002

Vol. 552 No. 3

Written Answers. - Departmental Funding.

Billy Timmins

Ceist:

70 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Public Enterprise if there is a scheme in her Department whereby a community group can apply for funding to upgrade a local community hall or obtain funding for other community projects; if a contact or liaison person in her Department co-ordinates such an application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12490/02]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

Details of schemes, operated by my Department, which provide funding for community based projects are outlined below.

I launched the second programme of the community application of information technology, CAIT, initiative on 28 February 2002. The purpose of the CAIT initiative is to provide access for all citizens to the new information and communications technologies, such as the Internet. The Information Society Commission has identified a number of social groups who are unfamiliar with, or who do not use the new technologies. The CAIT initiative provides funding to primarily community and voluntary organisations to undertake projects that will encourage these groups to use and become familiar with the new technologies in their everyday lives.

Up to €3 million is available to fund the CAIT initiative in 2002. Applications for funding will be accepted until all of this funding has been allocated. Project proposals received within a calendar month will be assessed together by an inde pendent assessment team at the end of that month and the results will be communicated to applicants as soon as possible. Projects will be funded over the period of 1 March 2002 to 30 November 2002 and each project can be funded from €1,500 up to a maximum of €127,000. Further information on the application process can be obtained at http://www.cait.ie or by contacting the communications (development) division at 01-604 1018.

The process of selecting the successful community transport groups for funding under the rural transport initiative, which was the subject of a nationwide call for proposals, has been completed by Area Development Management, ADM, which is administering it on behalf of my Department. Earlier this year I announced the names of the 33 successful applicants from around the country. Subject to completion of the necessary contractual arrangements with ADM, eight of these groups will shortly commence transport operations in their areas while the other 25 funded groups will begin the pre-development phase of the initiative. Those applicants who successfully complete the pre-development phase may subsequently apply for operational funding.