Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 23 Jan 1996

Vol. 460 No. 3

Written Answers. - Communicating Europe Initiative.

Pat the Cope Gallagher

Question:

80 Mr. P. Gallagher (Donegal South-West) asked the Taoiseach if he will give a breakdown of expenditure and initiatives taken under the recently published proposals of the task force on Communicating Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1438/96]

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Mr. G. Mitchell)

The report of the task force on Communicating Europe was published in February 1995. The report set out a number of recommendations aimed at raising public awareness of the European Union. The areas signalled out for particular attention included the media, the education system and the voluntary sector.

Approximately £170,000 was expended by the Exchequer in 1995 as part of the Communicating Europe Initiative. The projects assisted were as follows:

—Europe Week Programme dealing with European Union issues on local radio.

—Project organised by the CARREFOUR network to raise European awareness through local radio and press.

—Essay competition on Europe for second-level transition year students.

—Publication of the information booklet "Twenty Questions on the European Union".

—Grants to the Institute of European Affairs, the Irish Council of the European Movement and to the Irish Countrywomen's Association.

The publication of user-friendly material on EU funded schemes was also identified as a priority to be adressed by the report of the task force on Communicating Europe and a comprehensive publication in this regard is now close to completion and will be published shortly.

A provision of £100,000 has been allocated for the Communicating Europe Initiative in 1996 and this will be expended on raising public awareness of the EU in line with the recommendations in the task force report. An implementation task force has been established to advise me in this regard.