I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 13 together.
On 14 February 1995, the EU Commission adopted draft guidelines for the new initiative for Northern Ireland and the Border counties in support of the peace process. The draft guidelines will now be considered by the Committee of the Regions, the Management Committee on Commission Initiatives and the European Parliament. Once this examination process is completed, the guidelines can be formally adopted. This is expected to take place by the end of April. The two member states concerned will then be given four months to prepare an operational programme.
As I outlined in the Dáil on 24 January, it is accepted that the greater share of the funding will go to Northern Ireland. The Commission has indicated in the draft guidelines that the North will receive a maximum of 80 per cent of the overall funding and the South a minimum of 20 per cent.
While I fully accept that the six southern Border counties have suffered from the adverse effects of the troubles in the North, I believe that the envisaged North/South division on funding for the EU initiative represents a reasonable balance. The central theme of the EU initiative is the need to bring about reconciliation and I consider that the requirements in this respect are more acute in Northern Ireland. I should also point out that the six southern counties represent about 20 per cent of the population of the total eligible area.
I have previously indicated that I am willing to meet Deputies from the six southern Border counties in order to discuss matters relating to both the EU and US aid packages. A meeting has been arranged with the Deputies concerned and I look forward to hearing from them at first hand their views on all of these issues.