Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 568: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the value for money review on the Scéimeanna Feabhsúcháin sa Gaeltacht was completed; the value of the savings to the Exchequer generated by the implementations of the conclusions from this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33401/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The review referred to by the Deputy was published in 2006. Implementation of the recommendations is ongoing, as appropriate. Actions taken to date include:

the retention of the Strategic Roads Scheme and its inclusion in the NDP 2007-2013;

emphasising to local authorities the importance of standardised signage; and

the establishment of a standing co-ordinating committee between my Department and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Arising from implementation of the recommendations, I am confident that there will be ongoing positive outcomes in terms of efficiencies and standards of service. Several of the recommendations affirmed the ongoing benefits of the schemes for the Gaeltacht and proposed that priority be given to the stronger Irish-speaking areas. Progress on these and other recommendations, as appropriate, will be a matter for consideration in the context of the recently published Linguistic Study on the use of Irish in the Gaeltacht and the Government's proposed 20 year strategy for the Irish language.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 569: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the value for money review on capital expenditure on the offshore islands, 2000 to 2004 was completed; the value of the savings to the Exchequer generated by the implementations of the conclusions from this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33402/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The VFM review of capital expenditure on the Islands for the period 1998-04, which was undertaken as part of my Department's VFM/Expenditure Review Programme, is currently nearing completion. It is hoped to have the review published and laid before the relevant Oireachtas Committee by end-2007.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 570: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the value for money review on the Ciste na Gaeilge was completed; the value of the savings to the Exchequer generated by the implementation of the conclusions from this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33403/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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The report in question has been subject to external quality assessment and is nearing completion. I expect that the report will be finalised early in the New Year.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 571: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the value for money review on the drugs initiative was completed; the value of the savings to the Exchequer generated by the implementation of the conclusions from this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33404/07]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Expenditure Review of the Local Drugs Task Forces (LDTFs) was completed late 2006 and published on my Department's website in January 2007. The Review found that:

the LDTF Programme has been effective and highly relevant to the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy;

extensive measures have been implemented to address the drug problem at a local level; and

there are indications of high cost benefit ratios of projects such as those delivered through the LDTF programme.

A number of areas were identified in the Review and substantial progress has been made in addressing those issues. These include the development of (i) clearer reporting relationships and monitoring systems between projects, funders and the LDTFs and (ii) stronger evaluation processes in relation to future mainstreaming of projects to statutory agencies. In particular, the Deputy should note that a more rigorous financial feedback system has been developed. In addition, indicators — to gauge the performance and activity of projects — have also been incorporated into the National Drugs Strategy Team's reporting mechanism for the Task Forces.

I am confident that the implementation of these measures has contributed to the overall robustness of the procedures and processes currently in place within the National Drugs Strategy.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 572: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the value for money review on local development social inclusion programmes will be completed; the anticipated savings to the Exchequer due to the implementation of the conclusions from this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33405/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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I expect that the final draft of the report on the value for money review on the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme will be completed by end of the January 2008 at the latest. Pending receipt of the final report from the consultants engaged to undertake the review, I am not in a position to say what impact the implementation of its recommendations will have.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 573: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs when the value for money review on the area based rural development initiative and Leader programme will be completed; the anticipated savings to the Exchequer due to the implementation of the conclusions from this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33406/07]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the EU co-financed 2000-2006 Area Based Rural Development Initiative/LEADER + programmes will be concluding shortly. These programmes were already subject to ex-ante and mid-term reviews and will be the subject of ex-post evaluation following the completion of expenditure in 2008. Accordingly, the proposed value for money review of these programmes was replaced with a review of the CLÁR and RAPID leveraged funding programmes operated by my Department.