I welcome the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Deputy Ó Cuív, and his officials to deal with the Supplementary Estimate for the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs — Vote 27. I remind members that this is the second Estimate this afternoon.
Vote 27 — Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (Supplementary).
Cuireann sé áthas orm an deis a fháil Meastacháin Fhorlíontacha a gcur os comhair an choiste ionas gur féidir iar-mhéid de €11.297 milliún i gCuntas Fionraí a choinnítear i mo Roinn a ghlanadh. Is ionann an figiúir seo de €11.297 milliún agus ceann roinnt an AE den chaiteachas faoi chuid de bheart an Chlár um Síocháin agus Athmhuintearas a rinne ADM-CPA a sheachadadh thar cheann mo Roinn.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to present to the committee a Supplementary Estimate to facilitate the clearance of a balance of €11.297 million in a suspense account maintained in my Department. This represents the EU contribution to expenditure under a number of measures of the Programme for Peace and Reconciliation delivered by ADM-CPA on behalf of my Department. This is a distinctive EU Structural Funds programme aimed at reinforcing progress towards a peaceful, stable society and promoting reconciliation in the six Southern Border counties and Northern Ireland.
Responsibility for the various measures is spread over a number of Departments, both here and in the North. The programme is funded through a mix of EU and national allocations. Upon its establishment in June 2002, my Department assumed responsibility for a number of measures under the PEACE II programme. Uniquely, the 75% EU element of the funding for measures previously under the remit of the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs has been provided for in the Estimates process initially in that Department and, subsequently, in mine. Money was provided through a suspense account arrangement.
The Supplementary Estimate is sought for technical reasons to bring the manner in which these measures are treated in the Estimates process into line with the handling of PEACE programmes funding generally. It will not involve additional Exchequer expenditure in the long term as the amount to be refunded by the European Union to the Department of Finance will remain unaltered. The Supplementary Estimate will serve to clear the existing suspense account and, thereby, eliminate the debit balance of €11.297 million accrued in respect of expenditure on these measures of the PEACE programme during the period June 2002 to the present. Agreement has been reached with the Department of Finance that, commencing in 2005, future expenditure under these measures will be gross funded in my Department's Estimate. This will eliminate the need for a suspense account arrangement and prevent a recurrence of this scenario.
Tá mé sásta aon cheist atá ag Teachtaí ar an gceist seo a fhreagairt ach, mar is léir, is ceist theichniúil í seo. B'fhearr go mbeadh sí ar an leagan amach seo seachas ar an leagan amach a bhí ann go dtí seo.
I congratulate all those involved in the PEACE programme on the significant impact the measures involved have had on the Border counties. It would be remiss of those of us representing those counties not to acknowledge the impact the programme is having on the ground.
Cuirim fáilte roimh an ráiteas. Is tráthúil go bfuil sé ag teacht roimh an chomh-choiste ag an phointe áirithe seo. Beartas é seo a bunaíodh an chéad píosa de i 1995 agus a lean go 1999. Bunaíodh an ceann atá faoi chaibidil inniu i 2000 agus leanann sé go dtí 2004. Beartas agus ciste é seo a chuaigh chun sochair go mór do na ceantair fán Teorainn, ar dhá thaobh de. Níl aon cheantar eile sa tír a d'fhulaing chomh mór de bharr na trioblóidí a bhí i dTuaisceart Éireann le 30 bliain ná na ceantracha fán Teorainn agus ar an dá thaobh de.
Dá ndéarfainn é, is í an chontae a bhfuil mé féin agus an Cathaoirleach ag déanamh ionadaíochta air, Dún na nGall, a d'fhulaing, b'fheidir, níos mó ná ceantar ar bith eile ar an taobh seo den Teorainn. Má dhearcann duine ar na staitisticí atá i bhfeidhm go dtí an lá inniu, feictear go bhfuil 17% de phobal na contae s'againne dífhostaithe i láthair na huaire, i gcomparáid le 4.4% ag an leibhéal náisiúnta. Léiríonn sé sin an géar ghá atá le scéimeanna agus le airgeadú den chineál seo.
Cuireadh an chéadh chiste ar bun ó 1995 go dtí 1999. Bhí rachairt an-mhór air. De réir na bhfigiúirí atá ar fáil, chuir sé idir 7,000 agus 8,000 post úra ar fáil ar dhá thaobh na Teorann. Is mór an cuidiú é sin. Bhí pairtíocht mhór ann. Cuireadh níos mó ná 30,000 iarratas isteach ar dhá thaobh na Teorann agus ceadaíodh 15,000 acu sin. Mar sin, rinne sé maitheas agus fiúntas agus b'fhiú go mór é.
The Supplementary Estimate is primarily concerned with PEACE II which expires at the end of the year. What is the likelihood of the continuation of this funding for economic development on both sides of the Border? Have arrangements been agreed to enable the fund to continue in the next number of years? Has an evaluation been carried out of the projects funded under the programme? We are familiar in County Donegal with the excellent work carried out in communities along the Border. The Programme for Peace and Reconciliation is one of the major funding sources.
Is it likely that the programme will focus on infrastructural development? The Chairman and I have raised this issue on a number of occasions at meetings of the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body. The N2 and A5 should be funded. It would be an excellent project to consider by such an EU-funded agency. When we leave Dublin, we travel along an excellent road to Ardee before joining the N2 which is not bad with its many bypasses. However, the difficulty arises when one meets the A5 in Northern Ireland. It was one of the best stretches of road on the island 30 years ago but nowadays one is in trouble if one gets stuck behind a tractor or a bus. That is why I always travel in the middle of the night. Could major infrastructural projects be considered under the programme? I acknowledge ERDF funding is available.
This is a technical measure but perhaps the Minister and his officials will bear my contribution in mind when a new PEACE programme is agreed.
Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire. Tá súil agam go bhfuil sé ag teacht chuige féin i ndiaidh na timpiste a bhí aige le déanaí. Fáiltím freisin roimh na hoifigí atá in éineacht leis.
Ceist theicniúil agus chuntasaíochta atá sna Meastacháin Fhorlíontacha seo. Níl aon rud agam ina coinne. Anois, táimid ag druidim le deireadh chuid a dó den mbeartas. An mbeidh tuarascáil ar fáil go luath ar na rudaí go léir a tharla faoi bhráid an Chláir Síochána agus Athmhuintearais ón am a cuireadh an Rialtas i mbun go dtí deireadh na bliana? Mar a dúirt an Teachta McGinley, ba cheart féachaint ar cad a tharla agus ar cad eile gur féidir a dhéanamh amach anseo.
This is a technical measure which I support. While the PEACE II initiative has been successful, I take it a report will be published indicating what has been achieved and that it will be examined critically with a view to adding to the programme.
Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis na Teachtaí agus leis an Teachta O'Shea faoi na focail a dúirt sé faoin timpist. Buíochas le Dia, tá mé ar ais ar mo sheanléim.
On the question of an extension, it is hoped to extend the programme to 2006. I understand a proposal in that regard will go to the European Parliament this week. Obviously I do not want to count the chickens before they are hatched but I believe it is important for the programme to continue.
There is ongoing national development plan evaluation, which was subject to a mid-term review. Following this review, there was a proposal to seek an extension of the funding until 2006. It is subject to the normal audit evaluations that take place both within this State and at European Union level.
The Deputy raised an interesting question on the provision of major infrastructure, with which I empathise. Living in the west, the first question one is asked is about access roads. In this case the funding is spread over 52 measures across five priorities. These include economic renewal, social integration, inclusion and reconciliation, locally based regeneration and development strategies and outward and forward looking regional and cross-Border co-operation. What will be included in the Estimates from now on is the gross figure available in a year. It will amount to approximately €20 million next year and it is €21.912 million this year. If one takes this over five measures, one is talking about an average of €4 million per measure.
Unfortunately, given the money required to upgrade major roads, it would not make any indent into the roads issue. The roads issue must be dealt with bilaterally between the Irish and British Governments. The N3, which is under discussion, will be of major benefit to south Donegal. The N2 now links into the N1, and the Carrickmacross, Castleblayney and Monaghan work is proceeding. There will now be major improvements south of the Border and it is important that the particular road is developed to its full potential. However, I do not think the PEACE programme money will make a significant contribution to the work. We will have to use other funds. As Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, I recognise fully the unique position of Donegal. Being virtually an island within the State, access is of vital importance.
All the points have been addressed. I wish the Minister, his family and his officials a happy Christmas. I am sure he will do battle with us in 2005. I also wish members of the committee a happy Christmas.