Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy Perry for raising this matter and I welcome this opportunity to comment on these issues. I also welcome his support for my position on this matter. I know that to be his position locally in Cranmore and in Sligo. That information is readily available to me from people who are of the same opinion as myself, namely the residents of the Cranmore estate. I acknowledge Deputy Perry's support and the activity he has engaged in with the people of Cranmore regarding this very important matter for the development of Sligo.

I am keenly interested in the regeneration of Cranmore and the development of Sligo as a gateway under the national spatial strategy. I have engaged at every level, with the elected members, the county manager and his officials and community representatives in an effort to advance this project.

The Cranmore regeneration area has a population of over 2,000, of whom over 1,500 are living in the Cranmore estate. The Cranmore estate itself is strategically located relative to the town centre and was built on a phased basis between 1974 and 1992. It is home to approximately 10% of the population of Sligo Borough. In June 2006, the council submitted its draft framework plan for the regeneration of the area and because of Sligo's gateway status the scope and boundaries of the regeneration project were widened to include lands in proximity to Cranmore

Regeneration programmes take a holistic and strategic approach and are aimed at creating sustainable communities by addressing fundamental social and economic considerations - not just bricks and mortar considerations - as well as looking at wider issues such as infrastructure generally, accessibility, tenure mix, social exclusion and anti-social behaviour. To date approximately €14 million has been spent on the project in advance of the masterplan.

Following detailed discussions with my Department, Sligo Borough Council have prepared a detailed brief for the appointment of a multi-disciplinary design team to prepare a masterplan for the regeneration project. The masterplan will cover the whole of the eastern quadrant and I am anxious that it should be mindful of Sligo's gateway status and facilitate the future growth and development of Sligo as envisaged under the national spatial strategy.

However, the development of the masterplan has been delayed following the decision to delete the new eastern bridge and associated access roads from the new Sligo Borough development plan, adopted at the end of 2009. The brief for the masterplan was developed on the basis of the development objectives in the previous plan, which included the bridge-access routes. It is essential that we build effective links between the redevelopment of areas like Cranmore and the surrounding town in terms of access to services, employment and education, social and economic infrastructure. The regeneration of the eastern quadrant cannot be isolated from the development of Sligo and adequate access is an essential prerequisite for this part of Sligo. In terms of the proposed location of the new bridge, there is only very limited scope for considering alternatives because a special area of conservation lies immediately upstream, and contains highly significant alluvial woodland. The existing location was agreed following extensive local consultation and a lengthy oral hearing by An Bord Pleanála.

I have demonstrated my commitment to the regeneration project by allocating €4 million in 2009 and a further €3.5 million in 2010. I have made it clear that the completion of the masterplan is an urgent priority and that further funding is contingent on the adoption of this plan. I visited Sligo after the new development plan was adopted in order to see the area and the proposals at first hand. I met with local representatives and community groups and explored their concerns. My Department has subsequently been available to engage with the council on technical and practical issues. I am very much committed to the project and I encourage the borough council to work with my Department and the local community to progress it for the benefit of Sligo and its residents into the future.

I assure the Deputy I am totally committed to this project. I want to send out a clear message to the people in Cranmore and Sligo, and to the borough council. The development of Cranmore as a regeneration area cannot take place in isolation from access routes on the bridge. Whatever leeway exists regarding the bridge is very limited as the Deputy knows well.

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