In its mid-term review decision on EU Structural Funding support, the Community Support Framework monitoring committee called for examination by my Department of the scope for implementing change in pursuit of greater cost recovery, reduced aid rates, increased tendering for services and for more competition in the delivery of services. This and related qualitative issues were brought to the particular attention of the human resources development operational programme monitoring committee, which includes representatives of the operational agencies concerned, the European Commission, relevant Departments and the social partners, at its October meeting in the context of making its decision on a mid-term review package. Given that the priority at that meeting and subsequently was to finalise the decision-making, and follow-up consequences, on concrete expenditure adjustments agreed under the mid-term review process, it was agreed that the qualitative issues, including the elements referred to in the Deputy's question, would be followed up at future monitoring committee and co-ordinating committee meetings. This is also the situation in relation to the industry operational programme.
That remains the position. Delivery agencies, primarily FÁS and the Department of Education and Science in the case of the human resources development operational programme and the industrial development agencies in the case of the industry operational programme, are aware, through their participation in the relevant monitoring committees, of the requirement to respond on these issues and I expect that there will be appropriate consideration given to the matter in the period ahead, including discussions with my Department. As of now, however, I am not in a position to indicate any specific new steps which may be put forward for consideration by the monitoring committees in that context. The next meetings of both the human resources development monitoring committee and of the industry monitoring committee are scheduled for April 1998.
