Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 325: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that when Sligo County Council sought and received sanction from him for a term loan of €15 million in 2010 it stated in its application that the purpose to which the loan was to be applied was "to fund balances on our capital account that remain unfunded - Water Investment Projects awaiting Special Development Levies, Asset purchases completed in advance of Gateway funding and project balances, along with our Revenue Account Deficit"; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that the loan was not in fact applied to the revenue account deficit of €7.5 million and the deficit was carried forward into the following year; his views on whether he was misled by Sligo County Council and if he finds such behaviour acceptable, in view of the fact that the council had a total closing overall deficit balance of €9,981,616 on 31 December 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29537/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter for each local authority, including Sligo County Council, to manage its own day-to-day finances in a prudent and sustainable manner. All local authorities are required under legislation to adopt a balanced budget. I am aware of the total closing overall deficit balance of Sligo County Council for the year ended 31 December 2010. I am also aware of the sanction provided on 19 July 2010 to Sligo County Council for a term loan of €15m.

My Department will meet shortly with the County Manager and the Head of Finance in Sligo County Council to discuss the application of the €15m loan funding and to further explore the financial position of the Council including the need to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to reduce the deficit over time.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 326: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the funding he allocated for the regeneration of Cranmore estate, Sligo, between 2004 and 2011; the amount spent in each year on the regeneration programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29540/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Since 2006, my Department has recouped some €14.8 million to Sligo Borough Council in respect of the regeneration project for Sligo, which includes the Cranmore estate. Recoupments in 2006 and 2007 amounted to €1.376 million and €4.061 million respectively and these amounts were funded out of the Council's overall remedial works allocations for those years.

Details of the allocations made to Sligo Borough Council under my Department's national regeneration programme over the period 2008 to date, together with details of the amounts recouped, are set out in the following table: