379 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress, if any, on the urban and rural development monitoring committee established to monitor Structural Funds in Ireland. [27270/98]

383 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation if he will report on the progress on the local development programme since the formation of the Government. [25748/98]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 383 together.

The Operational Programme for Local Urban and Rural Development 1994-9 was designed to bring about social and economic development at a local level, to involve and enable local communities to be involved in that development in a formal way and to achieve physical improvements to the environment.

380 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress, if any, on the community initiatives monitoring committee established to monitor Structural Funds in Ireland. [27269/98]

381 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation the progress, if any, on the urban initiative monitoring committee established to monitor Structural Funds in Ireland. [27267/98]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 380 and 381 together.

As there is no community initiatives monitoring committee as such, I take it that the Deputy's interest, in this instance, is the only community initiative for which my Department has lead responsibility, i.e. the community initiative known as the operational programme for URBAN 1996-9.