Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus go háirithe leis an Seanadóir Fitzpatrick as a ceist agus an tsuim atá aici in ionad na bPíobairí Uileann freisin. I thank the Cathaoirleach and the Senator for her question and for the interest she has shown in na Píobairí Uileann. As she has rightly said, I paid a visit there with her not so long ago, just a couple of months past, and I was very impressed with the work that is being undertaken. I do not believe it is an exaggeration to say that na Píobairí Uileann played a very crucial part in ensuring that the skill of making uileann pipes and the teaching of that beautiful instrument to many people not just in Ireland but across the world continues. This organisation was crucial to ensuring that this was not a skill we lost in this country.

As the Senator has correctly said, the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, was established to support more compact sustainable development through regeneration and rejuvenation of Ireland’s five cities and other large towns in line with the national planning framework. This will facilitate a greater proportion of residential mixed-use development to be delivered within the existing built-up footprints of our cities and our larger towns to ensure that more parts of our urban areas can become attractive and vibrant places in which people can choose to live and work, as well as to invest, and importantly in this instance, to visit. Through the URDF, public bodies are receiving targeted support and, to date, there have been two calls, as the Senator will know, under the URDF in excess of €1.6 billion which has been allocated by this Government to 132 proposals, comprising almost 400 projects right across the country.

Specifically, in respect of Dublin City Council, I commend it on the work it has done with the URDF in some very significant plans it has not only in the Senator’s own constituency of Dublin Central, but right across Dublin city also. It has received approval for six projects encompassing a funding commitment of €18 million under call 1. Under call 2, which we announced last year, funding of €174 million has been provisionally allocated for Dublin City Council’s two successful proposals. One of these is a very important north inner city concept for area one, which amounts to €121 million, and then in the south inner city a further allocation of €53 million is being made. To date, therefore, Dublin City Council has received just short of €200 million under URDF, that is funding of €192 million to be exact.

As part of the third round of funding which I announced in January, local authorities were asked to review the projects they already had and to provide an update to me on the status of each project.Where a project may have been approved for funding support and it was no longer to proceed, I would ask local authorities, including Dublin City Council, to communicate that, to re-evaluate it and to see could we reallocate those moneys.

Dublin City Council responded to the third funding round and confirmed that a small number of its projects are not proceeding. They have, in consequence, put forward alternative projects for consideration for funding, one of which, I am glad to say, is the proposed international centre of excellence of uilleann piping on Henrietta Street - Na Píobairí Uilleann. I can confirm, therefore, that funding of the proposed uilleann piping centre under the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF, is being considered and officials from the Department are engaging with Dublin City Council on the matter.

I can tell Senator Fitzpatrick, furthermore, I would like to see this project proceed. I am aware that the Senator has been incredibly supportive of it, as am I. I am waiting for a final submission from my Department officials, once the talks with Dublin City Council conclude. I am very positively disposed towards it.