asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of money received from various EEC sources since this country's accession; and the total amount paid by the country as a member.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Finances.
10.
The information sought by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report.
The figures included in the table for receipts by way of grants and subsidies represent the amounts of money actually received under the various headings since accession. They differ in some respects from the figures published in the six-monthly reports to the Oireachtas on Developments in the European Communities (Annex II) which represent the amounts of grants and subsidies approved, because there is generally a time lag between the approval and payment of grants with the result that our receipts from the Community to date have been somewhat less than the amount of grants approved.
Following is the statement:—
Ireland's receipts from, and payments to, the European Communities since accession.
|
1973 |
1974 |
1975 |
1976 (to 30th September) |
|
|
£m |
£m |
£m |
£m |
|
|
(a) Receipts by way of Grants and Subsidies: |
||||
|
FEOGA—Gurantee Section |
36.6 |
63.8 |
102.2 |
69.9 |
|
—Guidance Section |
— |
— |
0.4 |
1.8 |
|
European Social Fund |
— |
3.6 |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
European Regional Development Fund |
— |
— |
1.8 |
1.9¹ |
|
Regional studies jointly financed by Ireland and the Communities |
||||
|
Pilot projects and studies to combat poverty |
||||
|
Research and Investment projects |
— |
0.2 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
|
Projects in the hydrocarbons sector |
||||
|
Moneys for miscellaneous surveys and studies carried out by Irish agencies for the Commission |
||||
|
Total |
36.6 |
67.6 |
108.8 |
78.0 |
|
(b) Payments to the European Communities: |
||||
|
Contribution to the budget of the European Communities |
5.3 |
6.7 |
9.8 |
9.2 |
|
Contribution to the EIB |
0.8 |
0.8 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
|
Contribution to the ECSC |
||||
|
Contribution to EURATOM research programmes Miscellaneous contributions |
— |
0.3 |
0.5 |
0.8 |
|
Total |
6.1 |
7.8 |
10.7 |
10.2 |
Loans approved for Ireland since accession were as follows:
|
£m |
|
|
EIB loans |
75.1 |
|
ECSC loans |
1.4 |
|
Community loan |
156.0 (approximately) |
Notes: (1) In addition payment claims amounting to over £3¾ million, submitted by Ireland, are being processed by the EEC Commission at present.
(2) In addition to the receipts figures shown in the table, receipts also arise as a result of Community regulations on social security for migrant workers. Ireland's receipts under this heading were £1.5 million in 1973, £1.3 million in 1974, and £2.0 million in 1975; the figure for 1976 is estimated at £2.2 million.
Are the two totals I asked for available?
The receipts by way of grants and subsidies are £36.6 million for 1973, £67.6 million for 1974, £108.8 million for 1975, £78 million for 1976, to the 30th September. Payments to the European Communities are £6.1 million for 1973, £7.8 million for 1974, £10.7 million for 1975 and £10.2 million to date for 1976.
What have we done with all that money?
We have put it to good use.