Vol. 468 No. 2
4 Mr. R. Burke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs his views of the fact that European leaders at the Florence Summit endorsed President Jacques Santer's pro-employment confidence pact but at the same time failed to make funding available to implement President Santer's proposals; and the way in which he proposes to redress this situation during Ireland's Presidency of the EU. [14742/96]
The Government welcomes the ideas put forward by President Santer in his proposals for a Confidence Pact on Employment. President Santer's proposals to a large extent involve economic and social measures to improve the conditions for creating employment. They were largely endorsed at the Florence European Council and they will be pursued vigorously by the Irish Presidency.
One element only of President Santer's proposals involved allocating additional Community funds. This was for the provision of further Community finance mainly for the priority transport projects under the Trans-European Networks programme. It was not possible, however, to reach agreement on this at Florence. Ireland, for its part, was prepared to support the proposal.
As Presidency, we will ensure that, in accordance with the conclusions at Florence, the Budget Council will give full consideration to the issue. The first step, however, is for the Commission to come forward with detailed proposals.
Will the Minister accept that while the document was approved in theory, a central element was not approved because funding was not made available by the finance Ministers? Will the necessary funds be made available during our Presidency?
The essential elements of Mr. Santer's confidence pact on employment consist of 20 major initiatives, most of which have been endorsed by the European Council. If the Deputy wishes I can provide him with the details. There was not any agreement on the priority transport projects under the Trans-European Networks programme. Ireland would support the funding of those projects because we see them as an element of addressing the unemployment question throughout Europe. They are not the ultimate solution but they are an element of the package and we hope to have that matter resolved during our Presidency.
