Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Oct 1994

Vol. 446 No. 2

Written Answers. - Community Support Framework.

Richard Bruton

Question:

39 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the way in which the value of total spending under the Community Support Framework, as published in the recently announced financial plan under the headings industry, human resources and local urban and rural development, compares with the sums of money originally planned in the National Development Plan, 1993 to 1997; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1814/94]

Minister for Finance (Mr. B. Ahern)

In my reply to a question by Deputy Yates yesterday I supplied the table below setting out a comparison of the structural expenditure — excluding Community Initiatives — by broad programme area set out in the plan and the amounts by broad programme area as agreed in the Community Support Framework 1994-1999. This includes the information sought by the Deputy.

Sector(1)	PLAN (Constant 1993 Prices)	CSF (Constant 1994 prices)
	£m(1)	£m(1)
	1994-1999	1994-1999
Industry	3,681	3,419
Agriculture and Forestry	1,448	1,442
Fisheries	146	167
Tourism	583	543
Local Development(3)	383	297
Human Resources(3)	3,988	3,701
Transport	2,605	2,606
Energy and Communications	3,067	3,200
Environmental Services	655	650
Hospital Infrastructure	113	105
CSF Technical Assistance	8	11
Total	16,677(4)	16,141(4)

Notes:

(1) The figures published in the CSF are expressed in ECU whereas the figures in the Plan were expressed in Irish Pounds. For ease of comparison the CSF figures have been converted into Irish Pounds.

(2) The sectors are as set out in the National Development Plan. The Operational Programmes will cover broadly the same areas. However, human resources measures for the various sectors which for most sectors in the Plan were shown under the human resources heading rather than the relevant sectoral heading will be included in the relevant sectoral Operational Programme e.g. tourism training is shown under human resources in the heading above but is included under the Tourism Operational Programme. There may be some differences in the definition of categories between the Plan and the CSF but these are not significant.

(3) In the Plan human resources measures relating to Local Development were shown under Local Development. In this table they are shown under the human resources category in line with the other sectors. The Local Development heading includes local development in both urban and rural areas.

(4) These figures include the Cohesion Fund aid and grant aid under the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism. These are not governed by the Community Support Framework but by separate administrative procedures.

It should be noted that the figures set out in the table above include EU Structural and Cohesion Fund aid — excluding Community Initiatives — eligible Exchequer expenditure — both cofinanced and uncofinanced — eligible non-Exchequer public expenditure — both cofinanced and uncofinanced — private sector matching finance and associated private sector finance. The pro-rata reduction applied by Government to deal with the shortfall of EU Structural Funds aid applied to the combined Exchequer and EU aid allocation excluding Cohesion Fund expenditure. Any consequential effects on non-Exchequer public and private sector expenditure varied by sector.