Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Jun 1994

Vol. 444 No. 5

Written Answers. - European Social Funding.

Michael Creed

Question:

53 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment in relation to the European Social Funding for Ireland in each of the years 1993 and 1994, the percentage of the European Social Funds allocated to Ireland; the total amount, in current Punts, both received and due in each of these years; in relation to each activity or programme funded or co-financed by the ESF in each of these years, the activity or programme and the amount of net Exchequer funding, ESF funding and private funding, if any, involved in each case; in respect of each activity or programme, the amount of net Exchequer and ESF funds allocated to it; the individual beneficiaries and the number of beneficiaries in each year; and if he will give details of the administration, overheads and delivery costs and the capital items.

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. Quinn)

Ireland's share of the European Social Fund allocated to the main training and employment programmes in 1993 and 1994 is 7.42 per cent and 5.57 per cent respectively.

Receipts from the European Social Fund in 1993 totalled £311 million. Receipts in 1994, to date, total £25 million. These transfers are made up of advance payments for training activity carried out in 1993 and settlements of claims in respect of earlier years.

In accordance with the governing regulations, assistance from the European Social Fund is paid by the European Commission in three instalments: first a 50 per cent advance on the annual funding is paid to the member state at the beginning of the year, 30 per cent is paid on certification by the member state that at least half of the 50 per cent advance has been expended, and second, the outstanding amount, up to 20 per cent of the total commitment, is applied for in a final claim which must be lodged within six months of the completion of a particular year's activities.

Final claims for settlement of outstanding 1993 funding are currently being prepared in my Department. It is expected that these amounts will be paid by the European Commission shortly.

Details of the main programmes co-financed by the European Social Fund in 1993 are set out in the following table: