The position in relation to the proposed Poverty 4 programme remains largely unchanged since my reply to the Deputy's previous question on 23 January 1996, question No. 22, reported at columns 262 to 265 of the Official Report.
The present position is that, while technically still blocked at Council, the Poverty 4 programme is effectively dead, politically, with little if any prospect of resurrection. Unanimous support for the programme simply does not exist and, as matters stand, there is no reasonable prospect of progress being made on this issue. The German and UK Governments have, as the Deputy knows, objected to the programme and have maintained this objection.
All efforts by other member states, including personal interventions by me on behalf of the Irish Government, together with the best efforts of the Commission, have not succeeded in changing their opposition.
It is now a question of new approaches being developed, approaches which we can push for, but which can become a reality without the unanimous support of the other EU Social Affairs Ministers being obtained.
At the meeting of the Social Affairs Council last Friday, I indicated the need for action in relation to social exclusion both at national and EU level and indicated that it is an issue I intend raising during Ireland's Presidency later this year. I was supported by a number of other Ministers at the meeting on the need to find ways of ensuring that social exclusion remains a central concern of EU policy and programmes.
At the same meeting, in responding to the presentations by Ministers on the preparation of a communication from the Commission in relation to social protection. Commissioner Flynn indicated that he would be giving consideration to upgrading the social exclusion element of that document. Thus, I have placed on the record with the other Ministers in Europe, my intention of raising the issue of social exclusion during Ireland's Presidency.
In relation to other specific measures to be taken during Ireland's Presidency, I will seek to further the debate regarding social exclusion through discussion wherever possible, including at such conferences as the New Directions in Social Welfare Conference which will take place in Dublin Castle in November.
The Deputy may be interested to know that the EU Commission launched, during the final months of 1995, a European Funding Initiative for Projects seeking to overcome Social Exclusion. Under the programme, groups were offered once-off grants in support of innovative projects against social exclusion. Invitations to apply for funding were sent directly from the Commission to interested groups. I understand that a total of nine Irish projects have now received funding under this initiative.