Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of applications to his Department for funding (details supplied); the result of such applications; the number of successful applications; the number of applications refused; the reason for refusals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12650/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The details sought by the Deputy are set out in the following appendix.

Athy Applications

The Community Development Programme

Under this programme, long-term funding is provided to locally-based voluntary and community groups involved in anti-poverty and social inclusion initiatives through the Community Development Programme. Athy is one of two projects in County Kildare currently funded under this Programme. Core funding to Athy Community Development Project is currently set at €111,200 for 2006. In addition to core funding, applications are invited each year from community development projects for once-off grants towards limited capital costs, purchase of equipment, and towards programme activities. Decisions on such applications are taken on the basis of resources available. I can confirm that an application has been received this year from Athy CDP under the above scheme to offer development of, and training to, men's groups. This application is currently under consideration.

RAPID

The RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment & Development) Programme targets 45 of the most disadvantaged areas in the country. It aims to ensure that priority attention is given to tackling the spatial concentration of poverty and social exclusion within those areas, through targeting State resources available under the national development plan. The programme also calls on Departments and State Agencies to bring about better co-ordination and closer integration in the delivery of services. Athy Town is listed as one of the smaller towns under the RAPID Programme and there is generally a whole town approach adopted for these towns in this category but with the greatest emphasis being given to areas of concentrated disadvantage within the town. Under the RAPID Leverage scheme Athy has received the following allocations.

Health Sector Co-Fund: funded on a 50-50 basis between the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and Department of Health and Children through the Health Service Executive, the Department approved the following allocations in 2005.

Additional Funding for RAPID community-based CCTV: The community-based CCTV scheme was launched by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. Successful applicants from RAPID areas will receive additional funding towards the capital cost of the scheme from Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. Athy has one project that has been recommended for funding under Stage 2 — Operation Funding of this Scheme.

The Local Development and Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP)

LDSIP aims to counter disadvantage and to promote equality and social and economic inclusion through the provision of funding and support to local partnerships. It is administered by Pobal (formerly Area Development Management Ltd.) on behalf of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and is funded through the National Development Plan (NDP) 2000-2006. It is delivered at local level by 38 Partnerships, 31 Community Partnerships and 2 Employment Pacts in their designated areas.

The Kildare Community Partnership (formerly Action South Kildare) covers a large portion of south Kildare including Athy. This group has been allocated an annual budget of €649,765 in 2006.

Responsibility for the scheme of community support for older people and for the programme of grants for locally-based voluntary and community groups transferred to my Department in June of 2002.

A list of all groups approved for funding under these schemes from 2003 onwards is available on the website of the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

From the details available in my Department, applications made by associations and organisations in Athy under each of these schemes is as follows:

In relation to disallowances under the programme of grants for locally-based voluntary and community organisations, the reasons ranged as follows:

Three of these applications were outside the remit of the Programme, and two of the applications in question were assessed against the published criteria for the scheme but were not recommended for a grant.

Dormant Accounts Fund

Decisions on the disbursements of funds from dormant accounts under the initial round of funding were a matter for the Dormant Accounts Fund Disbursements Board, an independent body established under the Dormant Accounts Acts. The board engaged Pobal, formerly Area Development Management Ltd. — ADM, to administer the initial round of funding on its behalf, which involved the disbursement of up to €60 million from the Fund.

I understand that seven applications for funding from organisations in Athy, County Kildare were received by Pobal. The board approved funding in respect of five of these projects totalling €321,033.00, including one application from Athy Town Council. A breakdown of these approved projects is provided in the table below. Two applications did not satisfactorily meet all the appraisal criteria and therefore were not approved for funding.

Jerry Cowley (Mayo, Independent)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if there is funding available from his Department for youth groups and organisations; if his attention has been drawn to a group (details supplied) and the fact that the youth of Westport town have no place to meet; his views on whether this is an essential area which needs funding in many small towns across County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12662/06]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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Youth groups and organisations can access funding across my Department's wide range of schemes and projects. Some youth groups in Mayo have already benefited, as indicated in the following appendix. More detailed descriptions of the programmes and schemes are available on my Department's website at www.pobail.ie.

The Community Development Programme (CDP)

Under the CDP, my Department provides core funding to locally-based voluntary and community groups involved in anti-poverty and social inclusion initiatives. There are nine CDP projects across County Mayo, though there is none in Westport itself. These projects are in based in Clare Island, Claremorris, Achill Island, Charlestown, Erris, Kiltimagh, Louisburgh, Ballina and Moygownagh. Many of these community development projects include young people as a target group for their programmes. Funding of €816,500 will be allocated to these projects this year.

The Local Development and Social Inclusion Programme (LDSIP)

LDSIP is a series of measures designed to counter disadvantage and to promote equality and social and economic inclusion. This Programme is funded by my Department and managed on my Department's behalf by Pobal. Young people at risk are a target group under LDSIP. Meitheal Mhaigheo delivers LDSIP in County Mayo. Funding of €18,169 was allocated through Meitheal Mhaigheo to five projects in the Westport area last year. Two of these targeted young people, and were allocated €8,000.

Programme of Grants for Locally-Based Community and Voluntary Organisations

This programme offers three schemes of once-off grants to locally-based community and voluntary organisations, especially those addressing disadvantage in their communities. The scheme of equipment grants and the scheme of refurbishment grants provides essential physical supports for the local community and voluntary sector. Grants up to €10,000 are available for the purchase of equipment while grants of up to €40,000 are available for refurbishment. The scheme of education, training and research grants is aimed at enhancing the capacity of local communities and grants of up to €10,000 are available towards education, training and research proposals.

Gaeltacht areas

In regard to Gaeltacht areas generally, the position is that Údarás na Gaeltachta has played a role in promoting youth activities for many years. Such activities have normally centred on clubanna óige, youth clubs, with emphasis on social and cultural activities. In the past year Údarás has taken this matter a step further with the establishment of Óige na Gaeltachta Teo., an independent company funded by Údarás and administered by youth leaders with a mandate to promote youth centred activities in the Gaeltacht. In regard to the County Mayo Gaeltacht specifically, Tuar Mhic Éadaigh and Acaill in particular, Údarás is involved in many youth-based activities, including the establishment of new youth clubs, drama groups, language promotion and after school activities.

Dormant Accounts

Details were announced on 4 January 2006 concerning the allocation of €24 million in 2006 from the dormant accounts fund for the purpose of supporting programmes and types of projects tackling economic and social disadvantage. Details of the announcement are available on the website of my Department. Among the funding measures proposed is one to provide once-off small scale equipment grants for youth groups with a particular focus on disadvantaged and marginal groups. The specific operational arrangements for this funding measure are currently being developed and it will be rolled out when these arrangements have been finalised.

Young Peoples Facilities & Services Fund (YPFSF)

The young peoples facilities & services fund, YPFSF, was established in 1998 to assist in the development of facilities — including sport and recreational facilities — and services in disadvantaged areas where a significant drug problem exists or has the potential to develop. To date, the main focus of the Fund has been in the 14 local drugs task force, LDTF, areas, which were established in the areas experiencing the worst levels of drug misuse, particularly heroin. However, recognising that the drug problem is not confined to LDTF areas, funding was also allocated to four other urban areas — Galway, Limerick, Waterford and Carlow. Approx. €99 million has been allocated to support over 450 facility and services projects in LDTF areas and the four other urban centres under the YPFSF. Many of the projects for which funding has been allocated to date are also located in RAPID areas. There are no plans at present to extend the YPFSF beyond the areas outlined above.