Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 733: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his Department has developed the necessary qualifying criteria for gateway authorities to enable funding to be secured and to reopen the Mullingar/Athlone railway link, which links two gateway towns in the context of the national spatial strategy; when the gateway construction fund as set out under the national development plan will be available for distribution in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16719/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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My Department formally issued the call for proposals for the Gateway Innovation Fund (GIF) on 8 June, seeking bid proposals from NSS Gateway local authorities on a competitive and added value basis to be funded under the GIF. The Fund is intended to incentivise, stimulate and reward joined-up strategies and action in the Gateways by helping to fund targeted strategic capital projects that can trigger the accelerated development of the Gateways and their wider regions.

The call for proposals outlines the main criteria on which applications will be assessed. These include: Demonstration of how the proposal will aid the delivery of the Gateway vision and enhance its development on a sustainable basis; Active participation and collaboration of each of the local authorities within the Gateway area and effective integration of the proposals within wider Gateway development and co-ordination structures; Appropriate coherence and synergy between GIF proposals, other public sector funding measures and the leveraging of significant private sector investment in the Gateway and its wider region; Strategic fit with stated national, regional and local plans, strategies and other guidance documents relevant to gateway development; Compliance with the Department of Finance's Capital Appraisal Guidelines and VFM requirements; and detailed information on delivery and project management arrangements.

The closing date for submission of bid proposals is 15 November 2007, with the intention of allocating funding to successful proposals in early 2008. Each lead Gateway local authority is invited to submit their formal proposal, on behalf of all authorities in the Gateway. It is of course a matter for the Gateway authorities to put forward those proposals which it feels best meets the Fund's objectives and criteria.