Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 July 2016
658. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20572/16]
View answerIn relation to European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme the Article 134 of the Common Provisions Regulation (1303/2013) provides for payment by the European Commission of certain pre-financing amounts. No application is required of Member States. The re-financing is paid automatically by the Commission on an annual basis once a Programme is adopted. Article 134 provides for initial pre-financing in 2014, 2015 and 2016 of 1% of the total EU funding for a Programme but that amount was increased to 1.5% in 2014 and/or 2015 where a Member State was receiving EU financial assistance. As Ireland’s programme of assistance ended in 2014, Ireland was eligible to receive 1.5% in 2014 and 1% for 2015 and 2016.
Similar provisions in relation to the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 are laid down in Article 35 of Regulation 1306/2013 on the Financing, Management and Monitoring of the CAP.
The full programme period planned EU contribution to these programmes and the pre-financing received to date is shown in the table.
|
Programme |
Full programme period planned EU contribution |
Pre financing received 2014-2016 (1.5% + 1% +1%) |
|
Rural Development Programme 2014-2020 |
€2,190,592,153 |
€76,670,725 |
|
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund Operational Programme |
€147,600,000 |
€7,631,022 |
|
Total |
€2,338,192,153 |
€84,301,747 |
The respective amounts would fall to be reimbursed to the Commission only in circumstances where insufficient expenditure was incurred over the course of the Programme to support a valid claim for that amount. Actual expenditure under the Programmes in 2014 and 2015 already exceeds these amounts so it is not envisaged that any of the pre-financing will be reimbursed to the Commission.
