Written answers

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Departmental Funding

9:00 pm

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will ensure the continued funding for the Fettercairn and Killinarden estate management projects, Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8157/12]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As part of the Government's Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and the 2012 estimates process, difficult decisions have had to be taken in relation to prioritising funding for core services in all programme areas. The provisional funding estimate to support my Department's mainstreamed drugs projects under the Housing programme budget 2012 was €100,000.

Two of 5 drugs projects mainstreamed to my Department's Housing programme were the Tallaght Fettercairn and Killinarden Estate Management Projects. In 2011, funding was provided through South Dublin County Council for these projects and the Council had been informed that it would not be possible for my Department to continue funding these projects beyond 31 March 2012.

A consultation process has commenced between the projects, the relevant local authorities and other bodies to explore alternative funding mechanisms for the mainstreamed drugs projects for 2012 and beyond. My Department also met officials from South Dublin County Council with regard to broader public funding for relevant projects and asked them to consider the potential for the estate management projects to be reconfigured in line with the Council's housing management role. Following difficulties identified by the Council, the projects and other funding partners in ensuring that projects have sufficient time to identify alternative streams of funding and/or to undertake a reconfiguration of project tasks and priorities, my Department has agreed to provide additional pro rata funding to support the projects for the second quarter of 2012, i.e. to 30 June 2012, through a transfer of a further €100,000 from within the provisional Housing programme estimate for 2012.

This funding is being provided strictly on a once off basis and on the clear understanding that it represents an extension of the transitional arrangement only, thereby providing projects with sufficient time to undertake a fully comprehensive consultation to identify future alternative funding mechanisms. It will be a matter for all the public funding bodies, as part of the consultation

process, to identify resources to deliver on the overall objectives of the reconfigured projects beyond end June 2012.

Furthermore, in the context of a public funding provision of €260 million for drugs programmes across all Departments and agencies in 2011, my colleague, the Minister of State with responsibility for the National Drugs Strategy is currently undertaking a review of the structures that underpin the National Drugs Strategy at local, regional and national level, including how the current funding structures can be improved or streamlined, particularly in relation to local and regional drugs task forces.

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