Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the special protection or regeneration status that exists for deprived areas; the criteria that would be considered for an area to qualify for any such status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9654/13]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department’s National Regeneration Programme targets the country’s most disadvantaged communities; those defined by the most extreme social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behaviour. Regeneration seeks to rebuild these communities by addressing not just the physical environment in which they live but also by investing in the social and economic life of the areas.

My Department currently supports an ambitious programme of regeneration projects, including large-scale projects like Limerick City, Ballymun and the former PPP projects in Dublin City and smaller scale projects in Cork City, Tralee, Sligo and Dundalk.

Responsibility for the compilation of regeneration proposals rests with the relevant l ocal authority. Regeneration seeks to create sustainable communities through a combination of social, educational and economic initiatives and also by rejuv enating the built environment through a combination of demolition, construction and refurbishment of dwellings , having regard to urban design guidelines. Local authorities are required to adopt a holistic and strategic approach involving multiple local and national agencies in an integrated scheme designed to create sustainable communities and to address the underlying causes of deprivation in the area. T here is a requirement for regeneration projects to deliver more than just an improvement in the housing standar ds of an area but to take a broa der approach to addressing the socio-economic and infrastructure deficits that contribute to social exclusion and disadvantage.