Vol. 397 No. 3
71 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the way in which he proposes to disburse the £650,000 allocated for Eastern Europe; and whether any other Government Department, such as the Department of Labour, will be involved in the spending of this money.
The £650,000 has been allocated to the Vote for International Co-operation and will be spent by the Department of Foreign Affairs in accordance with the normal procedures for disbursement of funds.
A number of Government Departments and other agencies have, however, contributed proposals and these have been taken into account in determining the range of assistance which Ireland might offer to Poland and Hungary.
The funds are being allocated in the light of the requirements as articulated by the Polish and Hungarian authorities and following consultations with them on how they would wish to have these needs met.
Of the £650,000, £150,000 has been allocated to Hungary and £500,000 to Poland. Of the £150,000 allocated to Hungary, £75,000 is being provided for English language and management training and £75,000 for Irish consultancy associated with World Bank projects.
Of the £500,000 allocated to Poland, £75,000 has been provided for medical supplies which were dispatched from Ireland on 19 February. One hundred thousand pounds has been allocated for Irish consultancy associated with World Bank projects and £75,000 for equipment. The allocation of the balance of the funds is currently under discussion with the Polish authorities.
