Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of urban renewal schemes approved by his Department since July 1997; the number of residential units embraced by those schemes; the estimated cost of all tax and other reliefs provided for those schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7460/07]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Three area-based tax incentive renewal schemes were introduced since 1997. These were the 1999 Urban Renewal Scheme, the 2000 Town Renewal Scheme and the 2001 Living Over the Shop (LOTS) scheme.

The three schemes were subject to a detailed review in 2005, carried out by Goodbody Economic Consultants on behalf of the Department of Finance. The relevant report was published in February 2006 and is accessible on www.finance.gov.ie.

The review found that by the end of 2004, the Urban Renewal Scheme had delivered 4,257 residential units, while the Town Renewal Scheme had delivered 971 residential units. It projected the delivery of, respectively, 15,538 units and 2,905 units under these two schemes by end-June 2006, the date at which the schemes were then scheduled to end. At the end of 2004, the LOTS scheme had resulted in the development of 155 residential units, with 440 completions projected by June 2006.

Tax forgone to June 2006 under each scheme was estimated as follows—

Urban Renewal Scheme €1,423 million

Town Renewal Scheme €148 million

LOTS Scheme €36 million

My Department is currently collecting and compiling data from local authorities on progress under the three schemes in the period up to 31 December 2006.