asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of funds received from the various EEC funds since 1 January 1973; and the total amount paid by this country to the EEC.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EEC Funds.
12.
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 in the period 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1977 represent the amounts of money actually received under the various headings during that period. These amounts differ in some respects from the figures published in the six monthly reports to the Oireachtas on Developments in the European Communities which represent the amounts of grants and subsidies approved. This is because there is normally a time lag between the approval of grants and the date of their payment, with the result that receipts from the Community to date have been somewhat less than the amount of grants approved.
The table also includes estimates of receipts and payments for 1978. It should be pointed out that these estimates are subject to a significant margin of variation, especially in the case of receipts under the FEOGA Guarantee Section which are liable to be affected by variations in trade and by changes in MCA levels as a result of currency fluctuations.
Following is the statement:
Ireland's receipts from, and payments to, the European Communities during the period 1973 to 1978.
|
1 January 1973 — 31 December 1977 |
1978 (Estimate) |
||||
|
£m. |
£m. |
||||
|
(a) Receipts by way of Grants and Subsidies: |
£m. |
£m. |
|||
|
FEOGA |
— Guarantee Section |
549 |
.7(1) |
350 |
.0(1) |
|
— Guidance Section |
10 |
.6 |
12 |
.0 |
|
|
European Social Fund |
20 |
.4 |
20 |
.0 |
|
|
European Regional Development Fund |
18 |
.8 |
17 |
.0 |
|
|
Regional Studies jointly financed by Ireland and the Communities |
|||||
|
Pilot projects and studies to combat poverty |
|||||
|
Research and Investment projects |
1 |
.9 |
1 |
.0 |
|
|
Projects in the hydrocarbons sector |
|||||
|
Moneys for miscellaneous surveys and studies carried out by Irish agencies for the Commission |
|||||
|
Total(2) |
601 |
.4 |
400 |
.0 |
|
|
(b) Payments to the European Communities and other contributions arising as a result of membership: |
|||||
|
Contribution to the budget of the European Communities |
57 |
.3 |
42 |
.0 |
|
|
Contribution to the EIB |
2 |
.4 |
0 |
.6 |
|
|
Contribution to the ECSC |
|||||
|
Contribution to EURATOM research programmes |
3 |
.7 |
1 |
.4 |
|
|
Miscellaneous contribution |
|||||
|
Total |
63 |
.4 |
44 |
.0 |
Notes:
(1) Receipts under the Guarantee Section include amounts of £152 million for the period to 31 December 1977 and an estimated amount of £140 million for 1978 in respect of UK and Italian MCA import subsidies which have been administered by Ireland in the case of Irish exports to the UK and Italy since 17 May 1976.
(2) In addition to the above amounts, receipts also arise as a result of Community regulations on social security for migrant workers; Ireland's receipts under this heading amounted to £10.3 million in the period 1 January 1973 - 31 December 1977 and are estimated at £3.3 million for 1978.
Loans approved for Ireland were as follows:
|
1 January 1973 — 31 December 1977 |
1978 (Estimate) |
||
|
£m. |
£m. |
||
|
EIB |
145 |
.4 |
75-80 |
|
ECSC |
1 |
.4 |
— |
|
Community loan |
156 |
.0 |
— |
|
Total loans approved |
302 |
.8 |
75-80 |