Vol. 433 No. 2
69 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for the Environment if he will give details of the various European Community initiatives that he has implemented in the period from 1989 to 1993 inclusive; the scope and extent of funding for each programme; if these programmes will be continued in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Work under the Envireg Operational Programme for Ireland is progressing. It involves total expenditure of £31 million on waste water treatment in a number of coastal areas, related technical assistance to improve implementation and assistance for studies on sewage sludge. EC aid for the programme period from November 1990 to December 1993 will amount to £23 million.
Under the Interreg Operational Programme which is designed to contribute to overcoming the problems of border areas, roads and environmental protection projects have been assisted. Expenditure under this initiative will be £13.7 million which will attract EC aid of £9.15 million.
The STRIDE Programme is designed to strengthen the research, technological and innovatory capacity of regions whose development is lagging behind. The Environment Sub-Programme is concerned with upgrading the capacity to carry out environmental research and the conduct of applied environmental research. It involves total expenditure of £3.465 million in the period 1991 to 1993 with the EC providing £2.49 million in aid.
The Commission has agreed a Green Paper on the future of Community Initiatives. Formal proposals, however, in this area have not yet been made and it is not possible therefore to say what programmes will be continued.
