asked the Minister for Finance the amount each of the five Border counties will receive from the Border counties fund from the non-quota section of the Regional Development Fund in 1983; and the projects which will be aided.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Border Areas Programme.
2.
Mr. Leonard
Contributions from the non-quota section of the ERDF in respect of the special border areas programme are made to the Exchequer as a partial recoupment of its expenditure on the programme.
In 1983 on-going projects which commenced in 1981 and 1982 will be aided from the special fund together with new projects which will be started in 1983. The list of new projects has not yet been finalised. It would not be possible, therefore, to give a breakdown by county of expenditure in 1983 or a definitive list of projects which will be aided.
Mr. Leonard
What amount of money is it proposed to allocate this year?
I gave that information to the Deputy in reply to a question last week. That information was not sought in this question.
Mr. Leonard
Would the Minister agree that it was expected that £4 million per year would be allocated?
Last week I indicated to the Deputy the amount that remained in the fund.
Mr. Leonard
It is a five-year fund. Will the time be extended, as it appears the money will not be allocated?
I have already told the Deputy it is not yet possible to say what projects will be aided in 1983 because decisions have not yet been made. It was on that basis that I said that it is not possible to give a breakdown by county of the projects which will be aided.
When will decisions be taken? Roughly what date?
I cannot give a date. As the Deputy is aware, projects are put forward for aid from this fund by a variety of organisations. I share the Deputy's anxiety that these decisions be made as quickly as possible so that we will be able to get these projects in hand. That is for new projects which would be brought forward in 1983. Expenditure on projects initiated in 1981 and 1982 will, in a number of cases, continue this year.
Mr. Leonard
Is the Minister aware that the Department did not approve of some of the projects submitted last year with the result that the funding was not availed of?
It is found in all schemes of this kind that in any given year a number of projects are put forward which, for one reason or another, do not comply fully with the terms and objectives of the schemes.
Mr. Leonard
Would the Minister ensure that in future if schemes are to be rejected it will be done quickly to enable them to submit alternative proposals for the funding?
I have already said, in reply to Deputy Wilson, that I am anxious that the various bodies and organisations which put forward proposals would make their decisions as quickly as possible. I shall take that matter up with them. However, I do not have any function in deciding on the projects that those bodies would consider and, if in a given year the number of projects which are eligible under the scheme does not take up the total amount of funds available, then the organisations that are charged with putting these projects forward should take note of that and ensure they put forward projects which will take up the full amount of the allocation.