With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together.
My Department will co-ordinate the submission and processing of this country's applications for assistance from the European Regional Development Fund. It is a pre-condition of assistance from the regional fund that public authorities in the member states must participate in the financing of any project in respect of which an application for assistance is made. Projects to be submitted to the European Regional Development Fund will, therefore, be drawn from activities already qualifying for State expenditure. The relevant EEC regulation provides that fund assistance may only be given for investments costing more than £20,833 and which are of the following types:
(1) Industrial, handicraft or service activities which create ten new jobs at least or maintain existing employment.
(2) Expenditure on infrastructure, which is either directly related to these activities or an essential pre-condition for them.
(3) Investment in infrastructure on mountain and hill farming and farming in less favoured regions, for instance, access roads to farms, electricity and drinking water and, in tourist areas, disposal of sewage.
Suitable projects which meet these criteria will be selected by my Department in consultation with the other Government Departments and agencies involved, that is to say, the Department of Local Government and the Industrial Development Authority.
I wish to make it quite clear that the selection of a particular project for assistance will not increase the level of aid already being paid to that project. It will simply be the means of obtaining assistance from the fund to increase our total industrial and infrastructural investment effort particularly in less developed areas. Proposals for assistance from the increased resources which will thereby be available to the State should be submitted to the appropriate Government Department or agency directly concerned with the project. It will not be necessary to forward a copy to any EEC agency as this will be done by my Department.