Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 302: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the details of the service grant initiative including the criteria for qualification; the actual uptake of the initiative in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31118/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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I assume that the question refers to the service related projects element of the initiatives fund which was launched by my Department in 2001 as part of the local government modernisation programme. This element of the fund was geared towards assisting local authorities in initiatives which would improve customer service and customer care in innovative ways, facilitate the convergence of local government and local development, further the integration of public services or support new directions for local government.

In January 2001, local authorities were invited to submit proposals for funding on the basis that proposals would have a project focus, defined objectives, finite duration and proper cost-benefit analysis. Local authorities were also advised that it was desirable that initiatives would have portability across a number of, if not all, local authorities.

Following consideration by an evaluation committee, 13 projects from separate local authorities were allocated total funding of €2.7 million, of which €2.4 million has been drawn down to date. Details of the allocations are set out as follows.