asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the failure of Irish companies and professionals to obtain more than three contracts under the European Development Fund; and the action that is being taken by his Department to raise the matter with the EEC Commission in Brussels.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - European Development Fund.
8.
The importance which the Government attaches to ensuring that Irish organisations, enterprises and firms are awarded a fair share of consultancy contracts under the European Development Fund was one of the first matters which I raised with the European Commission after taking up office. In mid-September and at the recent Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 17th/18th October I met with M. Claude Cheysson, Commissioner responsible for Development, to discuss this whole area and to make clear Ireland's interests.
The Commission is in no doubt as to the importance which the Government places on ensuring adequate participation by the Irish business community in the activities of the European Development Fund. In addition to my own discussion with Commissioner Cheysson, my Department has been, and is, in regular contact with the Commission on this matter.
The up-to-date position is that one State-sponsored body, Córas Tráchtála and three Irish firms of consulting engineers have been awarded contracts —in Jamaica, Upper Volta, Tanzania and Zambia respectively. The total value of these contracts is of the order of £320,000. The Deputy will probably be aware that only a proportion, less than 20 per cent, of the European Development Fund, will be allocated to funding consultancy contracts. The Irish contribution to this section of the fund is approximately £1.8 million, at current exchange rates, which is considerably in excess of the value of the contracts awarded to Irish firms to date. However the operation of the Fourth European Development Fund is still at a fairly early stage and I am satisfied that an increasing number of Irish firms are being placed on shortlists by the Commission. I am confident that further contracts will be awarded to Irish business under the European Development Fund. I might also mention, in a related context, that Bórd Fáilte has been commissioned by the Industrial Development Centre, which was established under the Lomé Convention, to prepare the terms of reference for a master plan for the development of the tourist potential in Zambia.
I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm that the efforts of Irish businessmen to secure contracts under the Lomé Convention have the full support of my ministerial colleagues and of our Departments. My Department, in co-operation with the Department of Industry, Commerce and Energy and with Córas Tráchtála, and in close consultation with the Confederation of Irish Industry, has been active in providing information and assistance to individual firms; our Missions abroad have also made representations on behalf of individual firms.
I should, perhaps, point out that it is not the European Commission which awards consultancy contracts. The Commission draws up a shortlist of firms which it submits to the beneficiary State—the authorities of which choose the contractor. It is important that these firms placed on shortlists make every effort to advance their interests with the authorities in the states concerned and in this regard my Department and its Missions will continue to offer assistance to the extent that our resources permit.
Arising from the detailed reply the Minister has given, could the Minister elaborate on the last item where he refers to the onus being on individual firms to make the last lap on their own? Perhaps the Minister might like to comment on recent occurrences in Zambia in that regard.
It is a question of lobbying. Once the firm gets on the shortlist then it is a question of the firm concerned doing its thing. Our diplomatic Missions will give them every help but basically that help will be supplementary to the actual muscle the firm itself can apply.
Are the Government and the Minister happy that we will obtain over the four-year period of the Lomé Convention and the aid programme the full quota to which we are entitled?
That is a hypothetical question.
That is what we are trying to do and I share with the Deputy his interest in ensuring that we get the maximum we can get.