I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 53 and Priority Question No. 57 together.
The National Development Plan 1989-1993 submitted to the European Commission in March last sought EC Structural Fund assistance of £3.7 billion. On 20 September last the Commission of the European Communities allocated a total of 36.2 billion ECU to the Objective I Regions of the European Community. Ireland's share of this initial allocation amounts to £2.86 billion. An allocation of a proportionate amount from the reserve retained by the Commission for Community initiatives would give Ireland an amount in excess of £3 billion which would be consistent with a doubling of our EC commitments by 1993. The Government will be seeking to maximise Ireland's share of the unallocated reserve.
Over the period 1989-93 Ireland will receive a higher level of EC aid per head of population than any other Objective I Region. Ireland will also achieve the highest per capita increase in aid over the 1987 levels. I am happy that the allocation made to Ireland will represent a major boost for our economic development prospects.
As the Deputies will be aware, discussions are now at an advanced stage on the completion of the Community Support Framework for Ireland. The Community Support Framework will set out the priorities included in the National Development Plan for which Community assistance will be given, the aggregate amount of assistance to be given annually through the three Structural Funds, the amount of assistance for each priority over the whole period and the form the assistance will take. Discussions are also taking place between the EC Commission and the various Government Departments in regard to the content of the national, sectoral Operational Programmes. At this early stage, it is not possible to predict exactly which individual projects will be selected for assistance until the negotiations on the Operational Programmes are concluded. The Community Support Framework will be published after it has been approved and will incorporate the revised expenditure and aid figures for the programmes included in the National Development Plan.