Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 Feb 1996

Vol. 461 No. 2

Written Answers. - INTERREG Programme.

Pat Upton

Question:

73 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Finance the projects, if any, that are funded or have been approved for funding under the INTEREG Community Initiative Programme of the second round of the structural funds; the name, purpose and location of each project; and the amount of Irish and European funding provided. [2713/96]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

INTERREG is a Community initiative under the Structural Funds which is aimed at assisting Border areas of the Community in overcoming their special development problems and at promoting cross-Border co-operation.

Under the joint Ireland/Wales INTERREG Programme, which was approved on 28 July 1995 and runs to the end of 1999, the EC is providing 84 million ECU (approximately IR£67 million) of which 70 million ECU (approximately IR£56 million) represents the Irish share.

The programme covers expenditure in the areas of transport, transport information systems, environment and emergency planning, tourism and culture, economic development, human resources.

There is also a small technical assistance measure to underpin the operation of the programme.

The eligible area comprises the regions of Dublin, Mid-East (counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow) and South-East (counties Carlow, Kilkenny, South-Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford), and the counties of Gwynedd and Dyfed in Wales.

The programme is jointly managed by the administrations in Dublin and Cardiff, and projects are considered under joint working groups. At present 44 applications are currently undergoing assessment by the various working groups and it is expected that announcements of project approvals will be made in the near future.