Brendan Smith
Question:13 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Finance the post 2000 funding to be made available under the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22718/99]
Other Questions. - Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.
In March of this year the Berlin Council "in recognition of the special efforts for the peace process in Northern Ireland" decided that "the Peace Programme will be continued for five years with an amount of 500 million euro of which 100 million euro will be allocated to the border counties" over the period 2000 to 2004. These funds represent the EU element of the programme and will account for 75 per cent of the total funding to be made available. The Exchequer, local authorities and other bodies will provide the remaining matching funds.
The new programme will build on the work, which has started under the current programme, taking into account equality, equity and non-discrimination and develop initiatives for business, public bodies and voluntary and community sec tor co-operation. My Department has already engaged in a wide-ranging consultation process with interested parties in the Border counties and Northern Ireland and will work closely with the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland to develop the detail of the new programme over the coming months.
I thank the Minister for his positive reply and I compliment him on his successful efforts to secure this funding at the Berlin Council. Will the Department of Finance directly involve Oireachtas Members from the Border counties when deciding on the next programme? As the Minister knows, the Oireachtas Members represent a wide range of interests and it would be useful if they were directly involved in consultations with his Department's officials in drafting the programme.
A widely based representation forum was established to liaise with the monitoring committee on the implementation of the programme on both sides of the Border. The Deputy must note this is a joint programme between ourselves and the UK authorities. Some 80 per cent of the total fund will be spent on the UK side of the Border, that is, 400 million euro, and 100 million euro will be spent on this side of it. That 500 million euro represents 75 per cent of the total amount of money which will be spent. I know public representatives would like to have a greater involvement, but it is a matter which must be debated with our counterparts in Northern Ireland. I have no objection in principle to the suggestion.
I thank the Minister for his positive response. Were it not for the efforts and input of the Oireachtas Members, in consultation with the then Tánaiste, Deputy Spring, and the then Minister for Finance, Deputy Quinn, when the previous programme was being drafted, it would not have been as successful and the expenditure would not have been targeted as effectively as it has been in recent years. It is necessary to target the expenditure at capital projects, such as the provision of facilities, particularly in disadvantaged areas, and to continue with assistance for community projects.
Is there any truth in the reports that there have been difficulties with the Northern Ireland authorities in agreeing on projects which might benefit from funding under the programme? Is there a difficulty, particularly in Northern Ireland, in relation to matching funds? I know the national development plan, which the Minister is due to announce next Monday, suggests a budget which will be spent on the peace programme but which does not find matching funds.
We must be careful because we are talking about two separate matters. This fund has been in existence for some time, but a detailed operational programme has yet to be written. I take on board what Deputy Brendan Smith said because I am aware of people's frustration on the Southern side of the Border about how it operates on both sides of the Border. I will bear in mind the Deputy's suggestions, but it must be done jointly.
Deputy McDowell raised a separate question about a joint chapter in the national development plan. The national development plan will be launched next Monday, but I do not want to anticipate what will be in it. It is difficult to put together a joint chapter because the UK national plan is different from our plan. It is limited, whereas our plan is broader in comparison to plans we had before which were Brussels related with co-financing. Recognising that we will get only 3 billion euro from Europe, the national plan is more broadly based and will be considerably in excess of that.
Deputy McDowell's question is separate to the question on the peace programme. Deputy Brendan Smith wants greater consultation in the peace programme and I will ask my officials to bear that in mind in the negotiations.