Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Dec 1997

Vol. 485 No. 2

Written Answers. - Community Support Framework.

John Bruton

Question:

80 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his Department has received money under the Community Support Framework; the underspendings of allocated funds, if any, there have been under the Community Support Framework in the areas for which his Department is responsible; if a report giving details of the reasons for underspending has been prepared for the monitoring committee; and, if so, if he will publish this report. [22645/97]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources is the national implementing authority for the Operational Programme for Fisheries 1994-99. In addition, the Department is responsible for the following measures: commercial seaports and regional ports measures of the Operational Programme for Transport; tourism angling measure of the Operational Programme for Tourism, and coast protection measure of the Operational Programme for Environmental Services.

In so far as the Operational Programme for Fisheries is concerned, a report on performance against programme provision was produced for the last meeting of the operational programme and CSF monitoring committees. In summary, the report showed a projected shortfall on forecasts to the end of 1997 in the order of 26 per cent. The operational programme monitoring committee agreed with the corrective action proposed, including revision of 1997 forecasts and the proposal that intermediary agencies would write to those beneficiaries where preparation of payment claims is lagging behind completion of works.

Expenditure on the commercial seaports and regional ports measures of the Operational Programme for Transport is in line with revised forecasts.

There has been an underspend on the tourism angling measure of the Operational Programme for Tourism. The underspend is due to difficulties with the start-up of the programme, difficulties in co-ordination between the central and regional fisheries boards, poor quality applications, project management and submission of claims in some cases and bad weather conditions which delayed works in 1997. Following the mid-term review of the tourism operational programme, the Department and the Central Fisheries Board took a number of measures to improve the process, including the allocation of additional staff to the tourism angling measure and the restructuring of grant committees. The benefits of these recent measures should be apparent in 1998.

There has also been an underspend on the coast protection measure of the Operational Programme for Environmental Services due primarily to difficulties encountered in commencing the sub-programme in 1994. However, expenditure is now broadly in line with revised forecasts.

The mid-term review envisaged that reports on performance against operational programme provisions, in respect of all programmes, would be prepared for all operational programme monitoring committees and the CSF monitoring committee to assist them in carrying out their functions. Such reports have been or are in the course of being prepared in respect of the programmes and measures for which the Department is responsible. The question of making available any such reports would be a matter for the relevant monitoring committee to decide.

The Minister for Agriculture and Food, in his reply to a similar question from the Deputy, is dealing with expenditure on the forestry sub-programme of the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry. Responsibility for the forestry sub-programme was transferred to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources in July 1997.

John Bruton

Question:

81 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the measures, if any, which are being taken to increase cost recovery or provide for more competition in the delivery of services in accordance with a decision taken in the context of the mid-term review of Structural Funds in relation to funds received by his Department, or bodies under the aegis of his Department, from the European Structural Fund; and, if so, the specific new measures, if any, which are being undertaken for this purpose. [22660/97]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

The Department of the Marine and Natural Resources is the national implementing authority for the Operational Programme for Fisheries, 1994-99. In addition, the Department is responsible for the following measures: commercial seaports measure and regional ports measure of the Operational Programme for Transport; tourism angling measure of the Operational Programme for Tourism; and coast protection measure of the Operational Programme for Environmental Services.

The provisions in the mid-term review referred to by the Deputy are intended to cover mainstream services and activities such as the provision of training, marketing, certain infrastructure, etc., and are only relevant, to any significant extent, in so far as the Operational Programme for Fisheries is concerned.

The CSF mid-term review package agreed that implementing Departments would examine the scope for implementing changes in pursuit of achieving the CSF evaluators' recommendations in regard to cost recovery and the need for more competition in the delivery of services. The terms of the package were presented to the members of the fisheries operational programme monitoring committee at its last meeting on 22 October 1997. The Department is reviewing the delivery mechanisms within the operational programme and will take the matter forward at the next meeting of the monitoring committee which is scheduled for April 1998.

The Minister for Agriculture and Food, in his reply to a similar question from the Deputy, is dealing with this matter in so far as the forestry sub-programme of the Operational Programme for Agriculture, Rural Development and Forestry is concerned. Responsibility for the forestry sub-programme was transferred to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources in July 1997.

John Bruton

Question:

82 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the steps, if any, he will take to improve the quality of cost-benefit analyses in relation to funds received by his Department or by bodies under the aegis of his Department under the Community Support Framework in view of the criticisms of the quality of some cost-benefit analysis arising during the mid-term review of the Structural Funds. [22678/97]

Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources (Dr. Woods)

The CSF evaluation unit, which is under the aegis of the Department of Finance, has been examining the question of cost-benefit analyses in the light of the criticisms of the quality of some cost-benefit analyses arising during the mid-term review of the Structural Funds. The evaluation unit will be issuing guidelines to Departments and implementing agencies in the matter. Measures which will enhance the value of cost-benefit appraisals will be taken on board following receipt of the evaluation unit guidelines.