Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 13 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 7

Written Answers. - Structural Fund Assistance.

Robert Molloy

Question:

66 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Finance if he will give the name of each organisation that submitted proposals or was consulted by his Department in relation to the preparation of plans to be submitted to the European Community for Structural Fund assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Finance (Mr. B. Ahern)

Submissions in connection with the new National Development Plan for the post 1993 Structural and Cohesion Funds have been received from other Government Departments, from the social partners at national level, from the seven Sub-Regional Review Committees and from a large number of other groups. Consultants were employed to evaluate the existing Community Support Framework and to make recommendations on the strategy and priorities for inclusion in the National Plan. Consultations have also taken place with the Northern Ireland authorities with a view to developing a strong cross-Border element in both the Plan for Ireland and the Plan for Northern Ireland.

I invited the organisations represented on the Central Review Committee that is the CII, FIE (now together in IBEC), CIF, ICTU, IFA, ICMSA and Macra na Feirme, and two other groups, the Chambers of Commerce of Ireland and the Council for the Status of Women to make submissions on the content and strategy of the Plan. These have all made submissions.

I also invited the seven Sub-Regional Review Committees, set up to review implementation of the Structural Funds, to make submissions containing their views on the content and strategy of the next Plan in so far as they would affect each sub-region.

These submissions have all been received. Each Sub-Regional Review Committee submission takes into account a wide range of proposals from local authority, agriculture, trade union, community development and business sector interests at local and regional level.

A large number of other groups and individuals have made submissions to me or to my Department on their views in relation to the content of the next Plan either in writing or in discussions with officials of my Department. Some of these have been detailed submissions on the overall Plan strategy covering all sectors; in other cases they are representations on individual projects made by particular interest groups or individuals. Submissions have also included proposals from State Agencies made also to the parent Department and responsible Minister. I am not in a position to provide the Deputy with a full list of all these submissions. The organisations whose submissions covered a wide range of sectors at national level or general strategic issues include groups such as An Taisce, the Community Workers Co-operative, the Combat Poverty Agency, Developing the West Together and the Joint Council of IBEC and CBI (Northern Ireland).

Robert Molloy

Question:

67 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will give the name of each organisation that submitted proposals or was consulted by his Department in relation to the preparation of plans to be submitted to the European Community for Structural Fund assistance; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Social Welfare (Dr. Woods)

Aside from the submissions invited by the Minister for Finance from the various national social partner organisations and the seven Sub-Regional Review Committees, which were also made available to my Department, submissions were specifically submitted to my Department by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Community Workers' Co-operative. My Department consulted with both and with the Irish Research and Development Unit of the EC Poverty Programme in the context of the preparation of proposals for Government in this regard.