asked the Minister for Finance the steps his Department took to ensure that the allocation of funds for development of the craft industry under the Border counties fund would be availed of.
5.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Craft Industry.
4.
asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the poor response from Border counties to avail of the allocation from the Border counties fund for the development of the craft industry, he will request the VEC in those counties to ensure that students who have an interest in craft manufacturing will be facilitated.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 5 together.
Grants are made from the Special Border Areas Programme Fund to the IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta for the establishment and development of craft industries in the Border counties.
Grant payments totalling £155,832 for the development of craft industries in Border counties have been made by the IDA and Údarás na Gaeltachta under the programme. The take-up of such grant assistance is, of course, determined to a large extent by the initiative of persons concerned in submitting suitable projects.
At present the IDA are also constructing, with funds from the Special Border Areas Programme Fund, a craft centre near Donegal town which will provide work units for craft operators and an outlet for their finished products.
As regards facilitating students who have an interest in craft manufacturing, I understand that AnCO and the VECs have run some courses in the craft field in the Border counties. While the introduction of such courses is largely determined by the demand for them, I will bring the Deputy's question to the attention of the relevant authorities to see whether any further development of these courses would be appropriate.
Will the Minister ensure that Government agencies with responsibility for administering such funds will be monitored very closely? To date I do not believe they have made every effort to ensure that the £5 million allocated is used to the best advantage.
The take-up of these funds is determined to a large extent by the initiative of persons concerned in submitting suitable projects. To that extent, of course, we have to wait for the demand. On the other hand, I will certainly give the Deputy every assurance that all the agencies involved will make the utmost efforts to make sure that everybody knows what the facilities are under the fund so that people who have such ideas will be able to bring them forward.
Would the Minister agree that, under the criteria laid down, only local authorities and Government agencies have the responsibility for administering this fund? Is it not time that other involved and interested bodies should get an opportunity to make an input?
There is nothing to prevent other interested bodies who have an input to make from doing so. We have discussed on at least two previous occasions during Question Time the administration of this fund and, since those discussions, I have not changed my mind about the administration of the fund except to repeat that if there are bodies other than those directly involved in the administration who feel that they have an input to make, they know by now after all the exposure the matter has got here, who they should talk to.
Does the Minister agree that it is very important that there should be an even spread in handicapped areas?
Different proportions of the fund are allocated to different activities and it is not possible for those administering the fund to make sure that there is an even spread of projects over the whole area. Obviously, the element of sufficient applications will be taken into consideration but it will not be the determining factor.
I asked a question about the Border fund last week and the substance was that——
If it was disposed of last week we should not resurrect it.
It is relevant to my question today. Is there a possibility of extending the area in which the money will be expended? At present the area of expenditure is very restricted and the benefits which would accrue to the disadvantaged areas in the Border counties from broadening the area——
A question, please, Deputy.
I assume there will be negotiations on the renewal of this scheme and will the Minister look at the possibilities of extending the area in which the money can be expended?
To the extent that there appears to be an inadequacy in the coverage of the fund I am certainly prepared to listen to any suggestions put forward by the Deputy or anybody else. My main concern is to ensure that the funds now provided are used to the maximum advantage.