343 Questions— 22 February 2005. <strong>Written</strong> <strong>Answers</strong> 344[Éamon Ó Cuív.]a wish to transfer to o<strong>the</strong>r decentralised locations.The most recent updated information wasreceived on 15 February 2005, which included <strong>the</strong>names and o<strong>the</strong>r details <strong>of</strong> those who haveexpressed an interest in decentralising with myDepartment. This information indicates that <strong>the</strong>number <strong>of</strong> applicants from general Civil Servicegrades now stands at 157 with, in addition, nineapplications from o<strong>the</strong>r Civil Service grades andten from o<strong>the</strong>r public servants.The grade breakdown for general civil servantsis as follows:GradePrincipal Officer 2Assistant Principal 10Higher Executive Officer 28Administrative Officer 1Executive Officer 45Staff Officer 12Clerical Officer 57Services Officer 2Total 157Income Support Scheme.34. Dr. Upton asked <strong>the</strong> Minister for Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he willreport on <strong>the</strong> success or o<strong>the</strong>rwise <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ruralsocial scheme to date; <strong>the</strong> number <strong>of</strong> participantson <strong>the</strong> scheme at present; if he has satisfied himselfwith <strong>the</strong> level <strong>of</strong> awareness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> scheme;and if he will make a statement on <strong>the</strong> matter.[1924/05]Minister for Community, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs (Éamon Ó Cuív): The rural social scheme,<strong>the</strong> details <strong>of</strong> which were announced in May 2004,accepted its first participants in July 2004 and <strong>the</strong>numbers have been increasing steadily since <strong>the</strong>n.There are 1,114 participants on <strong>the</strong> scheme atpresent. There are 36 implementing bodiesthroughout <strong>the</strong> country and <strong>of</strong> those 27 have commencedprojects under <strong>the</strong> scheme to date.In addition, all 36 implementing bodies areworking to ensure that <strong>the</strong>re is a high level <strong>of</strong>awareness <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> scheme in <strong>the</strong>ir respective communities.This is being achieved with <strong>the</strong> co-operation<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> local social welfare <strong>of</strong>fices which havesent information regarding <strong>the</strong> scheme to allrecipients <strong>of</strong> farm assist. Advertisements haveappeared in local newspapers and communitypublications and a number <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> implementingbodies have held public information awarenessmeetings. I also avail <strong>of</strong> opportunities regularlyto raise awareness about <strong>the</strong> scheme in relevantpublic fora.I consider that substantial progress has beenmade in this period <strong>of</strong> time. I expect <strong>the</strong> participantnumbers will continue to increase and thatall 2,500 places will be availed <strong>of</strong> in <strong>the</strong> nearfuture.Question No. 35 answered with QuestionNo. 10.Question No. 36 answered with QuestionNo. 7.Question No. 37 answered with QuestionNo. 10.Question No. 38 answered with QuestionNo. 18.Area Development Management.39. Mr. Quinn asked <strong>the</strong> Minister for Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if any newproposals have been brought to Government withregard to <strong>the</strong> restructuring <strong>of</strong> ADM; and if he willmake a statement on <strong>the</strong> matter. [5800/05]Minister for Community, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs (Éamon Ó Cuív): I refer <strong>the</strong> Deputy tomy replies to Question No. 75 on 9 November2004 and Question No. 60 on 14 December 2004.Progress is being made in <strong>the</strong> restructuring <strong>of</strong>ADM. Proposals have yet to be brought toGovernment to give effect to <strong>the</strong>se changes.Departmental Programmes.40. Mr. Durkan asked <strong>the</strong> Minister for Community,Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> works which his Department has financiallysupported in <strong>the</strong> past 12 months, with particularreference to urban and rural community groupsand those involved in combating drugs or o<strong>the</strong>rwise;and if he will make a statement on <strong>the</strong>matter. [5973/05]Minister for Community, Rural and GaeltachtAffairs (Éamon Ó Cuív): My Department fundsa variety <strong>of</strong> measures to assist both urban andrural community groups, as well as measures tocombat drugs misuse.In 2004, an amount <strong>of</strong> \20.6 million was providedin my Department’s Vote for <strong>the</strong> communitydevelopment programme. Expenditure onthat programme in <strong>the</strong> period February 2004 toend January 2005 was \21.677 million. This fundingsupports 185 community development projects,CDPs, in communities experiencing socialand economic disadvantage. These projects providefacilities such as meeting rooms, crèches,<strong>of</strong>fice facilities and training or education projectsto meet <strong>the</strong> needs <strong>of</strong> disadvantaged groups in<strong>the</strong>ir communities. The programme also includesgroups that act as a resource for communitydevelopment work with particular interestgroups, for example, Travellers, lone parents,people with disabilities and ethnic or culturalminorities. The programme is designed to reducepoverty and social exclusion through targetingsupport at disadvantaged and socially excludedcommunities in order to improve <strong>the</strong>ir capacity tobenefit from economic and social development.Funding for <strong>the</strong> community development prog-
345 Questions— 22 February 2005. <strong>Written</strong> <strong>Answers</strong> 346ramme has been increased to \22.4 million for <strong>the</strong>2005 year.My Department provides a range <strong>of</strong> once-<strong>of</strong>fgrants to a wide variety <strong>of</strong> locally-based communityand voluntary groups. Funding <strong>of</strong>approximately \3.3 million was provided in <strong>the</strong>past 12 months for grants in <strong>the</strong> following categories:equipment and refurbishment grants — targetedat voluntary and community organisationsin disadvantaged areas; and education, trainingand research grants — providing once-<strong>of</strong>f paymentsto fund training, education or researchinitiatives aimed at supporting and enhancing <strong>the</strong>effectiveness <strong>of</strong> local community and voluntarygroups in disadvantaged areas.The scheme <strong>of</strong> community support for olderpeople encourages and assists local support forolder people by means <strong>of</strong> a community basedgrant scheme to improve <strong>the</strong> security <strong>of</strong> its oldermembers. Funding is provided by way <strong>of</strong> grantaid to voluntary groups and organisations, whichhave undertaken to identify those elderly peoplein need <strong>of</strong> assistance under <strong>the</strong> scheme. MyDepartment provided funding <strong>of</strong> approximately\2.5 million in <strong>the</strong> past 12 months under <strong>the</strong>scheme.In 2004, \3.2 million was paid in grants tocounty-city development boards to fund cohesionand better delivery service projects which havebeen proposed by various agencies under <strong>the</strong>improved co-ordination <strong>of</strong> local and communitydevelopment schemes.In 2004, <strong>the</strong>re was a provision <strong>of</strong> \42.144 millionin my Department’s Vote for <strong>the</strong> localdevelopment social inclusion programme, LDSIP.Funding was allocated to partnerships and communitypartnerships and territorial employmentpacts to deliver <strong>the</strong> programme under threemeasures — services for <strong>the</strong> unemployed, communitybased youth initiatives and communitydevelopment.Capital funding <strong>of</strong> \4.5 million was available in2004 to support small scale localised actions inRAPID areas, through co-funding with <strong>the</strong> relevantDepartment or agency. Funding <strong>of</strong> \1.3million was also available to support ADM andlocal areas in <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> RAPIDprogramme.Details <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> areas covered by LDSIP andRAPID are available on my Department’s website,www.pobail.ie.The Peace II programme is a distinctive EUStructural Funds programme aimed at reinforcingprogress towards a peaceful and stable societyand promoting reconciliation. My Department,through ADM-CPA, implements 12 measures <strong>of</strong>this programme that range from developing communityinfrastructure to new skills and newopportunities. Funding <strong>of</strong> \10.615 million wasprovided in my Department’s Vote to meet commitmentsunder <strong>the</strong> programme in 2004.My Department has overall responsibility forco-ordinating <strong>the</strong> implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> NationalDrugs Strategy 2001-2008.In this context, my Department has responsibilityfor <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 14 local drugs taskforces in Dublin, Cork and Bray and <strong>the</strong> tenregional drugs task forces located in all areas <strong>of</strong><strong>the</strong> country. The Department also funds <strong>the</strong>premises initiative which is designed to meet <strong>the</strong>accommodation needs <strong>of</strong> community based drugsprojects and <strong>the</strong> young peoples facilities and servicesfund development groups which are basedin <strong>the</strong> 14 local drugs task forces areas, as well asCarlow, Waterford, Limerick and Galway.In 2004, my Department spent over \27 millionon <strong>the</strong> above areas. In addition, an amount <strong>of</strong>over \6.5 million was transferred from <strong>the</strong> Vote<strong>of</strong> my Department to <strong>the</strong> Vote <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Department<strong>of</strong> Education and Science in early 2004 for mainstreamedyoung people’s facilities and servicesfund projects.An amount <strong>of</strong> \21.98 million was provided in2004 for schemes to benefit communities in Gaeltachtareas, including road improvement, marineworks, group water schemes, leisure facilities andcultural initiatives. In 2004, a capital allocation <strong>of</strong>\10.35 million was available for island developmentpurposes. While <strong>the</strong> greater part <strong>of</strong> thisfunding was spent on essential public infrastructureon <strong>the</strong> islands, a proportion was also allocatedtowards community led projects such asrecreational facilities and community centres.My Department also provided funding <strong>of</strong>\33.183 million in 2004 to Údarás na Gaeltachtato assist in developing industries, services andemployment opportunities, in addition to fosteringand streng<strong>the</strong>ning <strong>the</strong> Irish language, inGaeltacht areas.In <strong>the</strong> past 12 months, CLÁR funds <strong>of</strong> \10.9million were spent on <strong>the</strong> various measures under<strong>the</strong> programme. This expenditure supported <strong>the</strong>provision and improvement <strong>of</strong> facilities rangingfrom roads, water and sewerage, village, housingand schools enhancement, health, broadband,electricity conversions and sports and communityprojects.Under <strong>the</strong> programme, community groupsavailed <strong>of</strong> assistance under <strong>the</strong> measures detailedin <strong>the</strong> appendix set out below.The rural development fund, provided for in<strong>the</strong> White Paper on rural development, wasestablished to support research, evaluations andpilot actions mainly in disadvantaged rural areas.In <strong>the</strong> period in question <strong>the</strong> fund supported anumber <strong>of</strong> initiatives including training in traditionalskills; employment <strong>of</strong> local developmentworkers; local tourism development projects; and<strong>the</strong> employment <strong>of</strong> a co-ordinator to examinebarriers facing small food producers. A total <strong>of</strong>\582,634 has been spent on <strong>the</strong> rural developmentfund from February 2004 to end January2005.My Department provides support to rural communitiesunder <strong>the</strong> Leader+ initiative and <strong>the</strong>area based rural development initiative and <strong>the</strong>rural development initiatives <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> cross-Borderprogrammes INTERREG IIIA and PEACE II.