Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Mar 1998

Vol. 489 No. 2

Written Answers. - EU Funding.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

35 Ms Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her views on whether moneys for training in Ireland will be cut by up to 80 per cent in the EU Objective 1 transition phase Social Fund; and the way in which she is planning to make up this shortfall. [7672/98]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Miss Harney)

It is too early to point with any certainty to the likely scale of any reductions which may be required in the training area arising from the European Commission's recent draft regulations on the Structural Funds including the European Social Fund after 1999.

While the Commission proposals would involve a phasing-out of current objective I status over the coming period. the Council negotiations on the proposals have yet to begin. The regulations to be adopted by Council next year could well differ significantly from those proposed. Likewise, the actual level of structural funding to be made available to Ireland in the post-1999 period has also to be negotiated. Only as these elements crystallise, will it be possible to finalise national funding priorities, including training, for the next round of Structural Funds.