Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 9 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 2

Written Answers. - Small Business Operational Programme.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

130 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if he will make a statement on the additional criteria required for fishermen wishing to avail of the access to finance scheme of the Small Business Operational Programme. [9415/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

The access to finance scheme is part funded by the EU Structural Funds under the Small Business Operational Programme. Consequently, as I indicated in my reply to the Deputy on the Adjournment of 30 April 1996, there were certain obligations under the EC Treaty to ensure that it complied with Community policies in a number of areas such as competition policy, the Common Agricultural Policy and the Common Fisheries Policy. Commission approval for the Operational Programme for Small Business therefore necessitated the negotiation of a number of conditions relating to Community policy and sensitive sectors.

In the case of the marine food sector, it was agreed that each application for a loan under the access to finance scheme must be certified by the Minister for the Marine as being in accordance with national and EU policies for the fisheries sector. The question of the criteria used in certifying that a project complies with these fishery policies is a matter which comes within the area of responsibility of the Minister for the Marine.