Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Apr 1998

Vol. 489 No. 5

Written Answers. - INTERREG II Programme.

Brendan Smith

Question:

53 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the total funding available to her Department under the INTERREG II Programme; the projects assisted in 1998 in this regard; the level of expenditure per project; the projects that will be assisted for the remainder of the programme; the level of funding per project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8405/98]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke)

In so far as the sectors under the aegis of my Department are concerned, EU aid of £14.8 million is being provided from the Joint INTERREG Programme for Northern Ireland and Ireland, 1994-99 and £1.32 million from the Ireland-Wales Maritime INTERREG Programme, 1994-99.

Under the Ireland-Northern Ireland INTERREG Programme, the total investment programme in the transport, energy and telecommunications sectors approved for grant assistance as at 31 March 1998 amounts to £26.09 million involving EU aid of £12.8 million. Details of these investments are as follows: the upgrading of telecommunications networks at a cost of £11.6 million of which £5.8 million is EU aid; the upgrading of electricity networks involving total investment of £12.49 million of which £5.995 million is EU aid; the promotion of energy efficiency and use of indigenous energy sources estimated at £1 million of which £0.5 million is EU aid; and the upgrading of bus stations involving an estimated investment of £1 million of which £0.5 million is EU aid. The outstanding aid provision of £2 million in the allocation is to be used for infrastructure projects to assist the development of the information society along the Border area.

In so far as the Ireland-Wales Maritime INTERREG Programme, Sub-Programme I, Measure 1 provides for an investment of £3.15 million of which £1.32 million is EU aid on the upgrading of transport facilities. The investments to be implemented under the measure are as follows: the upgrading of Dún Laoghaire Dart station involving a total investment of £1.45 million of which £0.725 million is EU aid; and the provision of a rail connection from North Wall to Dublin Port involving a total investment of £1.7 million of which £0.595 million is EU aid.