EU Solidarity Fund

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 March 2014

Wednesday, 12 March 2014

Questions (15, 28, 31)

Michael McNamara

Question:

15. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Ireland is not applying to the EU solidarity fund under Article 2 of the regulation which provides that, under exceptional circumstances, even when the quantitative criteria laid down in the first subparagraph, of damage estimated at more than 0.6% of gross national income, are not met, a region could also benefit from assistance from the fund, where that region has been affected by an extraordinary disaster, mainly a natural one, affecting the major part of its population, with serious and lasting repercussions on living conditions and the economic stability of the region. [9310/14]

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

28. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade consider there to be any prospect that Ireland might be able to access EU solidarity funding under the exceptional circumstances provision, in view of the fact that the country seems to be below the threshold but needs help and has just recently emerged from the bailout in a challenging situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9308/14]

Michael McNamara

Question:

31. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the EU solidarity fund has been explored as a source of moneys to fund repairs to special areas of conservation as the aim of the fund is to complement the efforts of the State and to cover a share of the public expenditure in carrying out essential emergency operations, including immediate securing of preventative infrastructures and measures of immediate protection of the cultural heritage and immediate cleaning up of disaster stricken areas, including natural zones. [9311/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 28 and 31 together.

My Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform had discussions with the European Commission on possible EU funding under the Solidarity and Regional Support schemes. The purpose of the EU Solidarity Fund is to allow Member States to request financial aid in the event of major natural disasters. There is a damage threshold per Member State which is set at 0.6% of GNI. The estimated costs of damage caused by the storms between 13 December 2013 and 6 January 2014 were €69.5 million. The estimated costs for subsequent damage caused by severe weather from 27 January to 17 February 2014 are currently being collated but indications are that they will not exceed the costs of the damage for the 13 December 2013 to 6 January 2014 period. These total estimated damage costs are well below the non-negotiable GNI threshold of 0.6% (€770 million in the case of Ireland) of the Solidarity Fund.

The possibility of a regional application has also been considered. Article 2 of the Council Regulation for the EU Solidarity Fund provides for such applications under exceptional circumstances. This is subject to a series of impact criteria, including one relating to more than 50% of population of a region being directly affected by a natural disaster. Taking Munster as an example for regional designation purposes, with a population of 1.254 million it would have to be demonstrated that at least 627,000 persons were directly affected. Therefore, the situations which have occurred do not appear to meet these criteria and no application for EU funding is being made.