John Bruton
Question:22 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of any written communications he has had in the past three months with the President of the European Commission. [17573/98]
Written Answers. - Ministerial Correspondence.
I have received two letters from President Santer over the last three months. The first letter was in response to one I sent him on 14 July to express the Government's concern in relation to the suspension of budget lines, specifically those relating to poverty and social exclusion.
President Santer replied to my letter on 7 September 1998 outlining the reasons for the Commission's action and indicating that "implementation of these headings may be resumed as preparatory measures" in the context of the ratification of the Amsterdam Treaty.
I am particularly pleased about the progress on this issue which came about due to Ireland's initiative at the Budget Council on 17 July, for which we received written thanks from the NGO's originally affected by the suspension of funding.
I received the second letter from President Santer on 17 August when he wrote to express his sympathy and that of the European Commission for the outrage in Omagh.