Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the moneys allocated through his Department from the dormant accounts fund throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31429/06]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 153: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the moneys allocated through his Department from the dormant accounts fund for County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31430/06]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 153 together.

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. Under this round, the Board approved 521 projects for funding totalling over €60 million. Details of these allocations are included in Appendix A of the Board's 2005 Annual Report, copies of which were laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 31st August 2006 and subsequently circulated to all Oireachtas members on 8th September 2006. 12 of the projects approved by the Board, involving the allocation of €2.7 million, are based in Co. Kildare. A breakdown of the approved projects in Co. Kildare is provided in Appendix 1.

Following the enactment of the Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Act 2005, the Government approved a series of funding measures providing for the allocation of a further €60 million from the Fund in 2006. These measures are being rolled-out on a phased basis as the operational arrangements are finalised.

In July 2006, details of the specific projects approved in respect of the first €12 million of this 2006 allocation were announced. These allocations were in respect of funding for priority projects in RAPID areas (€11.35 million) and also supports for vulnerable immigrants (€575,000). Included in these allocations was one project in Athy, Co. Kildare, which was approved for a grant of €200,000 (details in Appendix 2).

It is anticipated that Government will make further decisions in relation to a number of other measures over the coming months as roll-out continues with regard to the 2006 round of funding.