Vol. 398 No. 2
75 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Finance when funding will be available under the EC proposal for Border counties under Article 11 of Regulation No. 4253/88; and, if he is satisfied that all relevant authorities and the private sector are aware of this proposal and are drawing up submissions.
It is not possible to say precisely when funding will become available under this initiative.
Commission consultation procedures on the draft proposal for Border areas, known as INTERREG, are not likely to be completed before July, following which the Commission will formally adopt the initiative and member states will be invited to make applications for funding.
My Department are in consultation with other relevant authorities and with the Northern Ireland authorities in relation to matters that might be included in a programme under the initiative. However, until the precise terms of the initiative are known the question of inviting submissions does not arise.
