Vol. 431 No. 3
52 Mr. Dukes asked the Minister for Agriculture, Foods and Forestry the programmes and schemes concerning agriculture, food and related industries which are currently funded through EC Structural Funds; if he expects that such programmes and schemes will be included in the next tranche of the structural funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
My Department has responsibility for the FEOGA Guidance measures under the Community Support Framework for Ireland covering the period 1989-1993. The measures are divided into two areas— (a) Regional Operational Programmes specific to Ireland of which there are four: Control of Farmyard Pollution; Rural Development which includes schemes for animal production, alternative enterprises; agri-tourism, horticulture, research, development and marketing in the food industry, small and community enterprises, forestry, human resources and rural infrastructure; Forestry; Western Package. (b) Horizontal schemes applicable on a Community-wide basis mainly: Disadvantaged Areas' Compensatory Payments; Farm Improvement Programme and Marketing and Processing schemes related to Agriculture and Fisheries.
Total public funding for these measures over the five year period amounts to £1,085 million with £640 million being provided by the EC Structural Funds and the balance of £445 million coming from the Exchequer.
In addition, activities under my Department also benefit from a number of Community Initiatives — in particular LEADER under which EC funding of approximately £21 million has been allocated to Ireland in the 1991-1993 period.
Other Community initiatives impacting on my Department include INTER-REG and STRIDE under which EC funding of £5.5 million and £0.5 million respectively has been allocated in the 1991-1993 period.
Operational programmes under the control of other Departments also benefit the agriculture and food areas and details of these are contained in the Community Support Framework for Ireland which was published by the European Commission in 1989.
I expect that most of these measures, but excluding the now terminated Western Package, will be included in the programmes to be operated under the next round of Structural Funds. The level of funding for the individual areas I have outlined will have to await developments on the global allocation to my Department.
