159 Mr. Collins asked the Minister for the Environment if he will hold discussions on the possibility of including Rathkeale, County Limerick in the existing urban renewal scheme, having regard to the unique circumstances in this town resulting from the high number of settled travellers in the community.

Under the Urban Renewal Act, 1986, an area may be declared a designated area where the Minister is satisfied that there is a special need to promote urban renewal within it. When selecting areas for designation, the Minister must have regard to criteria such as the extent of urban decay, need for urban renewal/conservation, potential for redevelopment, regional considerations and the need to redress adverse economic or social conditions. I have no doubt that many towns can make a claim for designation. However, in order to maximise the impact of the scheme, designation must be restricted to the most urgent cases. There are no plans at present to extend the scheme to additional towns.