Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Mulvey report, Dublin North East Inner City - Creating a Brighter Future, which was published in February 2017, contains recommendations for the social and economic regeneration of Dublin's north-east inner city. The report has been further supplemented by the North East Inner City strategic plan for the period 2020 to 2022. Implementation of the Mulvey report and the strategic plan is being overseen and progressed by the programme implementation board. The board meets on a monthly basis and its members include representatives from relevant Departments and State agencies, business and the local community. The board is assisted in its work by six subgroups comprised of officials from Departments and State agencies and community representatives. The subgroups look at enhanced policing; educational, training and employment opportunities; family well-being; enhancing community well-being and the physical landscape; substance use, misuse and inclusion health; and the alignment of services.

Officials from the Department of the Taoiseach work closely with the board, the subgroups and the dedicated programme office based in Sean McDermott Street. The chairperson of the programme implementation board reports to an oversight group, chaired by the Secretary General of the Department of the Taoiseach. Membership of the oversight group comprises senior civil servants from various Departments and State agencies who are actively engaged with the work of the initiative. This group ensures strong and active participation by all relevant Departments and State agencies and deals with any barriers or issues highlighted by the board. Following the recent resignation of the chairperson of the board, arrangements will be made for the appointment of a new chairperson and I will advise the Government of a nominee as soon as possible. In the interim, the work of the board is continuing with the support of my Department.

The Government has recognised that disadvantaged areas require new forms of assistance in order to help them prosper. In line with the programme for Government, we are continuing to examine how the model of intervention in the north-east inner city could be extended to other comparative areas experiencing disadvantage.

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