Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 October 2004
255 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the reason the EU Community Action Programme to Combat Social Exclusion 2002 — 2006 only expended €43,000 in 2003 of the €250,000 provided; the way in which the €43,000 was expended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26409/04]
View answerThe EU Community Action Programme to Combat Social Exclusion 2002 — 2006 is a €75 million programme to encourage co-operation between member states in their efforts to combat social exclusion. It is part of the EU response to the target agreed at the Lisbon European Council in 2000 that member states should make a decisive impact on the eradication of poverty and social exclusion by 2010.
There are several strands to the programme, one of which is a programme of trans-national exchange projects, which aims to promote and support the organisation of exchanges, sharing of good practice and mutual learning between member states. A first preparatory phase of exchange projects commenced in 2003, when the EU Commission approved funding for 64 projects. Ireland is the lead partner in three projects and is involved in eight others.
EU funding for these projects amounts to approximately 80% of project costs, with the remaining 20% to be supplied by the participating partners. In the case of Irish project partners it was agreed that their proportion of the 20% matching funding would be supplied by my Department. For the year 2003 my Department has paid out a total of €43,000 to Irish partner organisations. A similar arrangement will apply in respect of partners participating in projects in exchange projects in 2004.
The figure of €43,000 is below the original estimate of €250,000 for two main reasons. First, given that this was a new EU programme, it was difficult to estimate with certainty either the likely degree of interest in it from potential Irish partners, or the outcome of the EU Commission's evaluation of the applications received. Second, the estimate of €250,000 was framed at a time when the specific amount of EU funding was not known. The figure of €250,000 was chosen in order to ensure that sufficient matching funding would be available to allow successful Irish partners to participate fully in any projects selected. The uptake of projects was slower than anticipated and the programme took longer than planned to get started. This fact has been acknowledged by member states and the EU Commission.
It has been agreed that there is a need to develop greater awareness of the EU social inclusion process and of various elements of this process, including the Community Action Programme to Combat Social Exclusion 2002 — 2006. A focus on awareness-raising activities will form a specific part of future elements of the programme. It is also the case that the operation on the ground of the trans-national exchange projects during this first phase of activity has increased awareness of the programme. My Department, in conjunction with the Combat Poverty Agency, will seek to ensure that information on the programme is disseminated in this regard.
