Vol. 467 No. 5
2 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Taoiseach the amount of money allocated to his Department from the EU peace initiative funding; the amount allocated by his Department to date; the projects that have benefited from such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13440/96]
The total amount of funding available from my Department for the programme for peace and reconciliation is approximately £18.7 million.
This represents funding from the Exchequer and the European Commission for 1996 and 1997. The funding will be drawn down by ADM Ltd., the intermediary for the programme, for transmission to the local beneficiaries. A joint management committee of CPA and ADM allocates funds to particular projects. My Department has no responsibility for the selection or allocation of funds.
Application forms have been available from the ADM office in Monaghan since last March and of the 250 applications received to date, approximately £1 million has been allocated to 63 projects.
Is the Minister aware of people's concerns about the lack of progress in initiating projects under this funding? The ceasefire was announced in August 1994 but there has been a distinct lack of progress on projects on this side of the Border. The Minister of State said that ADM and the Combat Poverty Agency are responsible for the allocation of this funding. Why was it necessary to establish two additional agencies when a multiplicity of agencies already operate in the Border area? The Minister of State said he does not have responsibility for the allocation of these funds. Will he interest himself in the matter and ensure the funding is spent on worthwhile projects? The people along the Border want improved infra-structure to attract investment to the area. In Strabane an advance factory is being built with similar funding. We want advance factories, improved roads and sophisticated telecommunications. Will the Minister interest himself in how the £18.7 million is being spent and ensure it attracts investment to the region? I am sure the Minister will acknowledge that people have not got the investment they expected in the area since the ceasefire.
The peace and reconciliation programme was an agreement reached between the Government and the European Commission. The major part of the peace programme is being implemented by intermediary bodies with whom the European Commission finalised agreements last December. The Combat Poverty Agency and ADM opened an office in Monaghan last March, projects are coming on stream and funding is being allocated as quickly as possible. The people administering the fund told me that the original projects were of poor quality but that they have improved in recent times. I am anxious that most of the £20 million will be committed by the end of the year. We will fulfil the obligations we inherited from Deputy O'Hanlon's Government, which set the parameters.
We did not establish ADM or the CPA.
If the IDA or Forbairt believed advance factories were necessary for Border areas when the programmes were being drawn up, they should have included them in the programme. When Fianna Fáil was in Government it did not consider them necessary, but now that it is not in Government those factories have become a priority. I told Deputy O'Hanlon on a previous occasion when we dealt with this matter that the question of advance factories will be considered under the mid-term review.
Was it the Government or the Commission that insisted two new agencies should be established to administer this funding under the peace and reconciliation programme? Is the Minister of State aware that this money came on stream since the 1994 ceasefire and his Government has been in office since then? Can the money be used for infrastructural development?
Any change in the operational programme would have to be agreed with the European Commission. I am surprised Deputy O'Hanlon, who was a member of Government, is not aware of the difficulties involved in changing an operational programme agreed with the European Commission.
On a point of order, the question refers to the peace and reconciliation fund.
That is not a relevant point of order.
Recently, I gave full information to Deputies O'Hanlon and Ahern about progress in this area.
Misinformation.
A task force has been set up which will report to the Government in the next week. Any delays experienced in regard to the provisions of this programme will be addressed.
With the ending of the ceasefire, seeds of confidence sown during that period died with it. Even in the event of a new ceasefire, that confidence will be difficult to restore, particularly US confidence. Will the Minister agree that there is a need for a political initiative for the Border region? I refer to the response the Minister for Trade and Tourism, Deputy Kenny, gave yesterday on the proposal before the House of Representatives. Will the Minister agree that while funding is available, a political initiative is required to build confidence again, which is the responsibility of the Government?
I was asked to answer a question on progress. I said application forms were available last March, and that 250 applications had been received, 63 projects had been approved and £1 million in funding had been allocated. Co-operation North received 90 applications and approved 12 projects, three in the Border areas. The target for the allocation of projects by the end of December 1996 will be £2.4 million.
In addition, allocations have been made to county council led task forces. Approximately £500,000 has been allocated to Cavan, £1.04 million to Donegal, £300,000 to Leitrim, £610,000 to Louth, £720,000 to Monaghan and £300,000 to Sligo. There has been some progress since I assumed responsibility for this last February. The target is to have commitments of approximately £20 million by the end of the year.
Will the Minister encourage ADM and the Combat Poverty Agency to hold public seminars in the counties involved, so the public will be informed about the application possibilities of this money? Will the Minister publish a list of the 63 projects which he said had been approved since March?
I will publish the list. ADM and the CPA are handling the PR aspect of the programme by appointing development officers in most counties along the Border. Where these development officers have met communities, the quality of the projects submitted has improved enormously. Until we have examined the task force's reply, we will rely on methods already adopted by the CPA and ADM.
