Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 479: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when funding from dormant accounts will be released to the community and voluntary sector in 2006; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6761/06]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the type of work eligible for consideration for grant aid from the dormant accounts fund; the amount allocated for dispersal in 2006 to community groups; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6762/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together.

The Deputy will be aware that disbursements from the dormant accounts fund are designed to assist three broad categories of persons; those who are socially or economically disadvantaged, those who are educationally disadvantaged; and persons with a disability. The Government has approved the allocation of €60 million from the dormant accounts fund in 2006, of which €24 million will be allocated towards projects tackling economic and social disadvantage; €18 million towards projects tackling educational disadvantage and €18 million towards projects assisting persons with a disability.

After consulting with the appropriate Ministers and having obtained the approval of Government, I announced details on 4 January 2006 concerning the allocation of €24 million in 2006 for the purpose of supporting programmes and types of projects tackling social and economic disadvantage. Details of the announcement are available on the website of my Department at www.pobail.ie and are attached at appendix 1 for the Deputy's information.

The roll-out of the measures announced on 4 January has now commenced. In this regard, an invitation to the 45 RAPID area implementation teams, AITs, issued at the end of January requesting them to submit their priority projects for consideration. This measure provides for the ring-fencing of €11.5 million for priority projects identified by the RAPID AITs. In respect of the other measures proposed, it is anticipated that they will be rolled-out on a phased basis over the coming months as the particular operational arrangements are finalised.

With regard to the other two categories — educational disadvantage and persons with a disability — the consultation process required under the legislation is not yet completed. It is anticipated that further announcements will be made shortly in relation to proposals under these headings when work in both the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children is completed, subject to specific measures being submitted and approved by Government.

Appendix 1

Press Release04 January 2006

€24 MILLION DORMANT ACCOUNTS FUNDING

TO BE TARGETED AT SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DISADVANTAGE

Noel Ahern, T.D., Minister of State at the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Éamon Ó Cuív T.D. Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs today announced that the Government has approved the categories under which €24 million from Dormant Accounts will be spent in 2006 on programmes and projects tackling social and economic disadvantage.

The Dormant Accounts legislation targets three broad categories of persons for support from the Dormant Accounts Fund: those affected by economic and social disadvantage; those affected by educational disadvantage; and persons with a disability.

Today's announcement relates solely to the social and economic category. The programmes and types of projects in this category will aim to ensure that particular priority is given to the areas designated by Government as most disadvantaged i.e. RAPID, CLÁR and Drugs Task Force areas (see Editor's note).

The funding announced today will focus on: RAPID programme — up to 50% of the overall funding will be ring-fenced to provide additional supports for priority projects in RAPID areas; support for priority themes — funding for specific measures supporting youth, older people and other priority themes (including suicide prevention; alcohol misuse; supports for immigrant families; supports for offenders/ex-offenders); support for jointly funded flagship projects — funding for innovative measures addressing matters of major public concern, which also involve substantial funding from private, philanthropic or community sources.

I am very pleased that a significant level of spending will go directly towards projects in areas designated by Government as suffering particular disadvantage. I also believe that the money aimed at jointly funded flagship projects will lever significant additional funding from private and other sources." Noel Ahern T.D., Minister of State, Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

Éamon Ó Cuív, T.D., Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs strongly welcomed the Government decision. He indicated his intention to bring proposals to Government soon in relation to additional Dormant Accounts funding under the Educational Disadvantage Category and the Disability Category.

Editor's Note: RAPID (revitalising areas by planning, investment and development) is a focused initiative designed to prioritize and target government expenditure, over a number of departments, on the most concentrated centres of disadvantage in the country. Strand 1 targets 25 urban centres while strand II targets 20 provincial towns.

CLÁR (ceantair laga ard-riachtanais) is a similar type initiative targeting rural areas and the islands. It funds and provides co-funding for measures designed to support physical, community and social infrastructure.

Drug Task Forces, DTFs, operate in the areas experiencing the worse levels of drug misuse, particularly heroin. The role of the DTFs is to prepare local action plans, which include a range of measures to tackle drug misuse in the areas of treatment, rehabilitation, education, prevention and curbing local supply.