asked the Minister for Finance his policy regarding the introduction, under the EC Regional Fund, of Integrated Development Programmes covering individual areas within the country which do not encompass the whole of the State, in particular if he will consider an integrated operation to include County Meath; the advantages to be derived from the introduction of integrated operations for the areas concerned; and if he will make a statement if and where integrated operation for areas encompassing less than the whole State have been recognised by the EC Regional Fund in other member states.
Written Answers. - Integrated Development Programmes.
24.
The question of integrated operations in the context of the European Regional Development Fund is under review in my Department. This is part of a wider interdepartmental examination of the policy which should be adopted in the light of the review of the Community Structural Funds envisaged in the Single European Act.
According to information I have received from the Commission of the European Communities, integrated development operations have been approved for Belfast, Naples and the Gronigen Oost-Drenthe area of the Netherlands. The ERDF is also involved in the Integrated Mediterranean Programmes in Greece and the southern parts of Italy and France.