David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 472: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the €150 million community development fund has been established as per the Agreed Programme for Government; the involvement of his Department in ensuring that this community development plan to support the development of community facilities such as community centres and playgrounds is easily accessible to rural communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40964/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The Programme for Government provides for a Community Development Plan to be underpinned by a Fund of €150 million and to be established over a five-year period. The Plan is intended to deal with the provision of community facilities such as playgrounds, community centres, local markets, recycling, sports and recreational facilities and to be implemented in a way which would maximise impact in local communities and complement existing relevant programmes.

As a first step, and in keeping with the recommendation in the Task Force Report on Active Citizenship, an audit of community, sports and arts facilities at local level is currently being undertaken by each county and city council, under the auspices of the relevant County/City Development Board. Earlier this year, my Department issued guidelines in relation to the audit to county and city councils. These guidelines were developed in consultation with the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, the Department of the Taoiseach and local authorities. A Steering Group representative of these bodies, as well as the Department of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, is overseeing the audits. The individual audits are to be completed by the end of this year. Subsequent consideration of the matter will be carried out in the context of the public services expenditure estimates.