asked the Minister for Economic Planning and Development if allocations have been made from the EEC Regional Fund for works at the ports of Rossaveal, Killybegs, Clogherhead, Drumatoor, Cork, Drogheda, and Dublin, or for any of them; and if such allocations have not been made, if any indication has been given that funds may be forthcoming; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Port Improvement Allocations.
18.
Assistance from the European Regional Development Fund has been granted in respect of works at the ports of Rossaveale, Killybegs, Dromatoor and Cork and for certain infrastructural investments such as roads and bridges adjacent to the port areas of Drogheda and Dublin. As the Deputy is probably aware, fund aid in respect of approved projects is not used to "top up" the national aid already given to individual projects through the public capital programme.
Moreover, it is a precondition of assistance from the regional fund that public authorities in the member states must participate in the financing of any project in respect of which an application for assistance is made. Consequently, the selection of projects in respect of which fund assistance will be sought next year must await the Government's finalisation of the 1979 public capital programme.
Is money from the regional fund being allocated to these various jobs mentioned in the question? If that is so, is it a fact that these jobs had been scheduled before there was any regional fund money available to the Government and that these jobs would have been done if the regional fund had never existed? That is my reason for suggesting that regional fund moneys are not being used exclusively for jobs that would not otherwise have been done——
As the Deputy is well aware, the fact that certain jobs are scheduled does not indicate when they will be done. At any given time a large number of jobs are scheduled, but the question is how rapidly can they be undertaken. This depends on the availability of funds. To the extent that additional funds are available from the EEC Regional Fund we are enabled to proceed with work on scheduled projects at a faster rate than would otherwise be possible.
Is it not so, particularly in regard to a number of these named projects, that the availability of regional fund moneys has been a face saver for the Government——
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.
I wish to give notice that I should like to raise on the Adjournment the administration by the Department of the Environment and local authorities of the low rise mortgage scheme.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Questions Nos. 3 or 4 or 11 on the Order Paper for 22 November or the subject matter of Questions Nos. 1 or 2 on the Order Paper for 6 December.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to give notice that I intend to raise on the Adjournment the subject matter of Questions Nos. 110 or 111 or both on the Order Paper for 5 December 1978.
I will communicate with the Deputy.
In view of your decision to disallow my Special Notice Question to the Taoiseach, I wish to raise on the Adjournment the appalling industrial unrest in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and the recurring disruption in telephone and postal services.
I will communicate with the Deputy.