Vol. 483 No. 1
76 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Finance whether the information available to his Department will allow a case to be made to the EU that regions of the country should retain Objective 1 status for the purpose of negotiations on the next round of Structural Funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19617/97]
I should emphasise that negotiations on the next round of Structural Funds are very much at a preliminary stage.
The European Commission, in its document Agenda 2000, accepts that there should be no abrupt cut-off of funds for regions that have passed the eligibility threshold for Objective 1 of 75 per cent of GDP and that appropriate transitional arrangements should apply to such regions.
The application of Structural Funds has contributed significantly to Ireland's recent economic growth and progress. It is important that this progress be copperfastened and that it is not undermined by any abrupt scaling back of structural funds after 1999.
I am satisfied that my Department has the basis for a comprehensive, well-argued case for continued access for Ireland to substantial structural funding in the next round.
Ireland's goal in these negotiations is of course to secure the optimum result for the whole country. Within this overall approach, the Government will be seeking to secure the position of the less-developed parts of the country. The Government are particularly conscious of the needs of the less-developed parts of the country and of their commitment to these areas in "An Action Plan for the New Millennium".
