Vol. 319 No. 4
asked the Minister for Defence the total amount of all moneys applied for to the EEC for fisheries protection between January 1977 and 31 December 1982, the amount sought each year, the amount granted and the amount of the shortfall provided from his Department's Estimate in each year 1977 to 1979, inclusive, with estimated amounts for 1980.
14.
asked the Minister for Defence the purpose for which the moneys granted from EEC funds to Ireland for fisheries protection have been used and the amount involved.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 and 14 together.
By Council decision of 25 July 1978 the European Economic Community agreed to participate in financing the expenditure incurred by Denmark and Ireland on fishery protection measures. As far as this country was concerned, the Council decided to reimburse up to 46 million European units of account (IR£31,173,000 approximately) of eligible expenditure to meet short to medium term requirements in the period 1 January 1977 to 31 December 1982.
A programme to cover the inspection and surveillance requirements in the exclusive waters of the State in the period up to the end of 1982 was drawn up and submitted to the European Commission in December 1978. The total estimated cost of the programme was £60.5 million made up as follows:
|
£ million |
|
|
purchase and operation of ships |
48.2 |
|
purchase and operation of aircraft |
8.8 |
|
interim measures—leasing and operation of two ships |
1.5 |
|
interim measures—leasing and operation of two aircraft |
2.0 |
The Commission's reaction to this programme, received in June 1979, was that expenditure to the extent of 61,127,890 European units of account (IR £41,425,000 approximately) comprising all the capital outlay I have just mentioned, the cost of leasing ships and aircraft up to 31 December 1979 and the cost of operating the leased ships and aircraft up to 31 December 1979, was eligible for financial participation by the Community subject to the limit of 46 million European units of account specified in the original Council decision.
The arrangements for the reimbursement by the Commission of expenditure on maritime surveillance measures provide that claims be submitted by the end of June of the year following that covered by the claim. My Department's claim for 1977 and 1978 totalled IR £7,883,571 and this amount was paid in full by the Commission in December 1979. A claim in respect of expenditure during 1979 is at present being prepared and is estimated to cost IR £5.262 million.
May I ask the Minister, firstly, am I not right in assuming that this £31 million was to be paid over a five year period? Surely, as we have at the present time two vessels nearly completed in Cork, more than £7.7 million should be paid to date? My second question is: does this include the new aircraft for jetsetting the Minister across from Ireland to Brussels, or is this aircraft used solely and only for military purposes?
Excuse me, what was the first question?
I cannot understand how only £7.7 million has been paid to the Irish Government from the EEC so far. This is in operation for nearly three years——
The Deputy will be aware that the money is first spent by us and then reclaimed and that we have submitted a claim in in respect of 1977-78 has What was due to us for 1977-78 has already been paid.
The Minister mentioned the year ending June, every year. Surely that year ended in June 1979?
Yes.
The Minister did not answer my second question regarding the aircraft. Does he know if it is a dual purpose aircraft, or is it used solely for military purposes?
The two aircrafts we have for fishery protection are two Beech King Air aircraft.
For counting seals.
