asked the Minister for Health if he proposes to issue to the various regional health boards specific guidelines that would enable them to make effective applications to the authorities in Dublin, including his own Department and the relevant authorities within the Commission in Brussels, in order to ensure that their application for financial assistance under the new EC structural funds would be to the maximum extent possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Regional Health Boards EC Funding.
40.
Detailed guidelines on the new structural fund arrangements in the European Community will be issued by my Department to all vocational training agencies in the health sector, when the regulations controlling these arrangements are agreed by member states. It is expected that the framework regulations, which set out the broad parameters of the revised system, will be agreed shortly. The implementing regulations, which relate to the detailed operation of the new arrangements, will be discussed in Brussels between the Commission and the representatives of each member state over the next few months. It will be appreciated that until the framework and implementing regulations are agreed it will not be possible to issue final and definitive guidelines on the new system to the training agencies. It is the Government's intention to ensure that any new funding system will be of benefit to the training of disabled people and that the maximum possible assistance will be obtained for such training.