Written Answers. - EU Funding.
John Bruton
Question:
55
Mr. J. Bruton
asked the
Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources
the funds, if any, his Department or agencies under its aegis are receiving from the Community Support Framework of the EU; and, if so, the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure that the private sector are allowed to participate in tendering for grants under the operational programme on the basis of criteria set down in advance as agreed as part of the mid-term review of the Community Support Framework.
[22647/97]
My Department is responsible for administering the CSF operational programme for fisheries, 1994-99, which provides for EU aid of over £62 million. The programme is aimed towards supporting targeted investment in order to maintain and enhance the commercial fishery sector's contribution to the national economy and in particular its contribution to growth and employment in coastal communities.
There are nine measures within the programme. The measures are administered by the appropriate Departments or implementing agencies, not all of which are under the aegis of my Department. Four of the measures specifically involve grant-aid schemes for the private sector and a fifth, the research measure, provides funding for a range of projects across the spectrum of marine endeavour from fisheries and marine food to marine technology. The projects are practical and innovative and are characterised by strong partnership between business, third-level institutions and the public sector.
The CSF mid-term review package agreed that implementing Departments would examine the scope for implementing changes in pursuit of achieving the CSF evaluator's recommendations in regard to cost recovery and the need for more competition in the delivery of services. These provisions are intended to cover mainstream services and activities such as training and marketing.
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. BIM is the body responsible for the delivery of the training and marketing measures of the operational programme. My Department is examining options with them in order to report to the next monitoring committee meeting on 22 April, 1998.
The technical assistance measure of the programme is administered by my Department. It is designed to underpin all other measures by assisting with economic, technical and feasibility studies and support services. Public procurement rules are applied to contracts placed under the measure.
In addition, the Department is responsible for the following measures: first the forestry sub-programme of the operational programme for agriculture, rural development and forestry (OPARDF): Funds currently allocated to the forestry sub-programme of the OPARDF under the community support framework are approximately £74.146 million in 1996 prices over the six year period 1994 to 1999. In July, 1997 an evaluation of the forestry human resources measure of the forestry sub-programme, which attracts approximately 12 per cent of sub-programme funds, recommended,inter alia, that a proportion of courses be put out to tender to seek the involvement of the private sector, the third level institutions and other bodies.
My Department subsequently set up a liaison group to review the training and education needs of the forestry sector in the light of that evaluation. Further steps will await the outcome of the group's deliberations which are due to commence on 3 March 1998.
The Deputy will be aware that grants under the OPARDF relate mainly to farmers and, to a lesser extent, to individuals, companies or institutions. Grant beneficiaries, private and public, while obviously not required to participate in a tendering process in the normally accepted sense of that term are awarded grants on the basis of compliance with eligibility criteria set down for the various schemes and a competitive assessment and selection process.
Second is the commercial seaports and regional ports measures of the Operational Programme for transport. The commercial seaports and regional ports measures provide for an investment of over £60 million, attracting EU aid of over £30 million, in port infrastructure over the six year period 1994 to 1999. The availability of EU aid acts as a strong lever for investments in ports generating up to 55 per cent matching funding and has also managed to involve the private sector in a significant role in port development. My Department has actively encouraged investment proposals from the private sector. These projects represent a total investment of £16 million including a private sector contribution of approximately £9 million. Projects, both public and private, approved for aid under these measures are subject to EU procurement procedures.
Third, the tourism angling measure of the Operational Programme for Tourism, the central and regional fisheries boards are in receipts of funds — £12.2 million approved to date — under the tourism angling measure of the operational programme for tourism. Grant aid is available under the measure to the public and the private sectors and the relevant eligibility criteria apply equally to all applicants.
Fourth is the coast protection measure of the Operational Programme for Environmental Services. This measure provides for expenditure of £5.1 million over the six year period, 1994-99. Under the measure, aid is primarily available for the protection of public property and infrastructure. Private property will only be considered if it can be shown that some unique fauna, flora, etc. is being protected.
