Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 3 Apr 1996

Vol. 463 No. 7

Written Answers. - EU Funding.

Bertie Ahern

Question:

33 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Social Welfare the funds from the EU and other sources available for the southern Border counties; the funds that are additional or consequent on the peace process; and the purposes for which they have been or will be used in each of the years from 1994 to 1996. [3928/96]

Minister for Social Welfare (Proinsias De Rossa)

Regarding that part of the Deputy's question which concerns EU funding, I would direct him to the answer which my colleague, the Minister for Finance, gave to the same question on 12 March last.

Other sources of funding, available from my Department, for the Border counties, are channelled through a number of grant schemes which concentrate on support for self help groups, community development, welfare rights, information work and money advice and budgeting services and on the provision of seed money to enable community groups to pilot initiatives identified as meeting new and emerging community needs. This funding is not additional or consequent on the peace process.

Grants and payments totalling, approximately, £706,872 for 1994 and £585,880 for 1995 were made to the north-eastern and north-western (social welfare) regions, which approximate to the Border counties. A sum of £110,000 of the 1994 figure was to fund respite care services. This scheme was transferred to the Department of Health in 1995 and therefore does not appear in the 1995 total. It is anticipated that expenditure under these grant schemes will be approximately £800,000 in 1996.