asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the total loans granted to each member State of the European Community from the funds of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1973 and 1974.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - ECSC Loans.
6.
Detailed information for 1974 is not yet available.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to circulate the information in regard to 1973, as well as the information at present available in regard to 1974, with the Official Report.
Following is the information:
Loans extended in 1973(¹) in million units of account
|
Sector |
Germany (Fed. Rep.) |
Belgium |
Denmark |
France |
Italy |
Netherlands |
Luxembourg |
Community |
|
I—Coal industry |
54.19 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
54.19 |
|
Iron and steel industry |
108.17 |
— |
7.81 |
103.65 |
0.38 |
3.18 |
— |
223.19 |
|
Generating plants |
— |
0.62 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
0.62 |
|
Total |
162.36 |
0.62 |
7.81 |
103.65 |
0.38 |
3.18 |
— |
278.00 |
|
II—Industrial development |
— |
— |
— |
2.37 |
0.38 |
— |
— |
2.75 |
|
III—Worker's housing |
2.37 |
0.72 |
— |
0.76 |
1.01 |
0.80 |
— |
5.66 |
|
Grand Total |
164.73 |
1.34 |
7.81 |
106.78 |
1.77 |
3.98 |
— |
286.41 |
A final table of ECSC loans extended in 1974 has not yet been published. The Commission has indicated that loans over the first eleven months of 1974 totalled 350 million units of account.
¹Figures quoted are for disbursements made, rather than loans approved. Accordingly the long-term loan to the Irish Government of £208,335, approved by the Commission in December 1973, does not appear in the above table.
Source: ECSC Financial Report for the year 1973.
There are nine precise answers to this—in regard to Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy and so on. Could the Minister let me have the information now in respect of 1973?
What I will do is give the total figures but in the written reply it is broken down into subheads.
Could I have the total figures?
Certainly. Federal Republic of Germany—these are in million units of account—164.73; Belgium, 1.34; Denmark, 7.81; France, 106.78; Italy, 1.77; Netherlands, 3.98; total, 286.41.
And Ireland?
In that year there was no loan extended to Ireland. We have, of course, applied and a loan has been approved but it was not disbursed within the year.
Is the Minister satisfied with this, in view of the fact that in 1972, for instance, Germany had 71.9 million units of account, France, 63.24 million units of account, by comparison with us with something like 5,000 units of account by way of loan? From what the Minister has just said, it appears that Germany in 1973 received 164 million units of account, France 106 million units of account——
The Deputy is imparting information rather than seeking it.
A Cheann Comhairle, it appears that so far Ireland has received nothing. Is the Minister satisfied that he and the Government are sufficiently diligent in view of the fact that we seem to be totally unaware of the existence of the benefits from this fund?
I think there are two separate questions involved here. One is the timing and the other is the amount. The Deputy will have noted that the United Kingdom has not been a recipient either in this particular period.
I am not concerned with the United Kingdom.
We are concerned here with the amounts actually disbursed in 1973. As far as that goes, there was no disbursement to us. Of course, the other thing is that this country, by comparison with some of the others mentioned, is not notably a large scale steel or coal producer. Therefore, one would expect that, at any time, the amount coming to this country would be relatively small, by comparison with the proportion we would get under other headings, such as agriculture, social policy or regional policy.
Question No. 7.
I know it to be a fact—the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs gave me this information in reply to a previous question—that the only application we submitted this year was in relation to a programme for re-employment of workers in the Ballingarry area, a total of approximately £1 million. That was for 1973. That was what the Minister for Post and Telegraphs told me some time ago in the House. Is the Minister satisfied that we have considered all the possibilities of assistance out of these funds? We may not be a major coal and steel producing country but there are, as the Minister must know—and I mentioned this at least three or four times in the House last year—many schemes, such as harbour developments and so on, re-employment of workers——
A brief question, please?
A Cheann Comhairle, it has to be detailed to some extent because the Government do not seem to be aware of these schemes. In view of what is being made available to other countries, is the Minister satisfied that we are making a serious attempt to benefit from these funds which are not determined by way of national allocation as is, for instance, the regional fund?
I think the Deputy is perhaps confused with regard to the question of years. I have tried to explain this but I do not think I have quite got the message across. The reference to Ballingarry refers to a loan for which we applied in June, 1974—two million units of account to support four industrial enterprises in that area. The figures I have available, and the only ones that exist at present for the Community as a whole, are for 1973, disbursed in 1973, many of which were applied for in 1972. Therefore, we are talking about different time periods and this is where the confusion arises. When I referred to the loan for which we had applied and which was approved in 1973, but was not paid in 1973, that related to the construction of houses in Haulbowline and Arigna which considerably ante-dates the Ballingarry one.
Question No. 7.
The Minister is aware that that was the only application our Government submitted in that year, just one project. When I mentioned in the House to the Minister for Local Government, on an Adjournment debate, that there were a wide range of schemes that would qualify I did mention Ballingarry. I am glad at least that that much has been noted. But it is very obvious that the Government have not been pursuing our applications——
I am afraid this is leading to an argument. Question No. 7.
As I understand it, provisions here are to assist where there are problems in the coal and steel industry. We have such problems in certain specified areas. In fact I think Ballingarry, Haulbowline and Arigna are the three relevant areas.
It is not my function——
No, it is not at Question Time. The Chair has called the next question.
Could I ask the Minister has he ever considered putting in an application for the development of Cobh harbour which would qualify as being a harbour serving a steel industry?
Next question.
I think the Deputy might address that question to a more relevant Minister. When it comes to the question of a particular application for a grant for a particular area, I think that——
(Interruptions.)
Let us make some progress. Question No. 7 has been called.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Deputy Fitzgerald, I have called the next question.