Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Dec 1991

Vol. 413 No. 9

Written Answers. - Structural Funds.

Ruairí Quinn

Question:

225 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for the Environment if he will outline (a) the amount of moneys from the EC Structural Funds which have been spent under the aegis of his Department in (1) 1988, (2) 1989 and (3) 1990 and (b) the amount of matching funds which were spent by his Department for each year; if he will list the projects which were funded by such funds; if he will further outline the amount of funds which have been committed for 1991; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for the Environment (Dr. O'Hanlon)

The information sought at (a) and (b) of the question and in respect of 1991 is as follows:

	1988	1989	1990	1991
	£000	£000	£000	£000
(a)Amount of Structural Fund aid committed	46,031	90,922	103,224	131,065
(b)Amount of matching public expenditure	58,685	76,865	57,441	76,096

The figures in respect of EC aid commitments represent the aid committed on the basis of public expenditure in the year in question. Actual aid payments are not made through my Department's Vote. The commitments figures include transport infrastructure grants. The figures in respect of matching public expenditure comprise expenditure funded by my Department and expenditure by local authorities from their own resources. The figures exclude road projects approved for European Regional Development Fund assistance on an individual basis prior to 1988.

The compilation of a list of all of the individual projects which qualified for EC Structural Fund assistance over the period 1988 to 1990 would require an inordinate amount of staff time and resources which would not be warranted. I would refer, however, to the relevant operational programmes which indicate the main projects involved.