Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I have been asked by my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Alan Kelly, to speak on this matter.

Significant funding has been made available to Cork City Council by the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for the past number of years to support the Cork city north west regeneration project. In 2013, the allocation was €12 million and in 2014 a further €10 million has been made available.

The specific allocations to be provided in 2015 across all the Department's various funding schemes and programmes will be published in the 2015 Revised Estimates volume in December. That will include the breakdown of the social housing investment programme. At that point, the Department will be working with all local authorities to agree individual allocations across all the social housing activities, including regeneration programmes such as that at Cork city north west.

The ongoing implementation of the Cork city north west regeneration project remains a matter for Cork City Council. However, the Department liaises with the council in respect of its advancement of the project and its prioritisation of individual schemes for inclusion in annual work programmes, and in respect of the capital funding allocations which are made by the Department.

As each of the proposed project elements of the masterplan are progressed, they are subject to the standard appraisal for capital projects. I understand that work commenced on phase 1A of the Cork city north west regeneration project in 2014, somewhat later than originally anticipated. However, this is now progressing and delivery of 23 new social housing units is scheduled for 2015. As regards phase 1B, I understand this is due to go to planning later this year and that demolition on this site has already taken place.

I also understand that an updated implementation plan for the overall project is due to be completed by Cork City Council in February next. I expect this will clarify the position regarding phases 2 and 3, in particular such matters as the number of social housing units, their timelines for development and the approach to tenure mix. It will allow the council and the Department to identify capital funding requirements for the next stages of the project.

Nationally, the Department supports an ambitious programme of regeneration in a number of areas across the country. The regeneration approach seeks to address many of the causes of disadvantage in communities based in large social housing estates and flat complexes, through holistic programmes of physical, social and economic regeneration.

The value placed on the national regeneration programme is explicitly recognised in the programme for Government. It is the objective of the Minister, Deputy Kelly, and his Department to ensure that this important programme continues to be supported, including for the people of Knocknaheeny in Cork.