Approval for the funding of 49 projects throughout Ireland has been announced, under the new Sustainable Communities Fund.

The Minister for Housing, Urban Renewal and Developing Areas Batt O’Keefe revealed the Sustainable Communities Fund that will support local authority pilot projects, which foster sustainable communities through joined-up initiatives that provide for housing renewal and improvement of the housing stock and living environments.

Over a three-year period, over €7.6 million will be spent on innovative projects to promote sustainable communities. With local authority funding combined, it is thought the total spend on the projects could rise to €14.4m.

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Limerick City Community Warden Scheme has already been approved, and has been allocated €1m for the regeneration scheme that is taking place between 2007 and 2009.

City and County Managers are currently being asked to submit proposals for initiatives to improve the quality of life, along with Area Regeneration Schemes, the development and implementation of Housing Management initiatives, activities of Social Inclusion Units and Equality, Diversity and Special Needs initiatives.

The Minister described the scheme as providing assistance for practical pilot projects that have potential for replication, outside the normal day-to-day pattern of housing authorities' activities.

He said: "successful implementation of these projects will be hugely important in developing new approaches to delivering the type of communities that are needed in today’s fast-changing society.

"The Sustainable Communities Fund offers an opportunity to test new thinking on how to achieve an integrated approach to achieve sustainable communities where people are happy to live and in which all residents can participate and prosper."

(JM)