Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Sep 1995

Vol. 455 No. 8

Written Answers. - Delors Peace Initiative.

James Leonard

Ceist:

38 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Finance the contact, if any, he has had with Carlo Trojan, the EU official who stated at the Slieve Russell Conference that he would look favourably at a cocktail of Delors Peace Initiative and IFI funding as matching funding, in view of the difficulty experienced by Local Authorities and community groups in drawing down EU funds due to their inability to provide matching funding. [12611/95]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

In the autumn of 1994, shortly after the cessation of violence in Northern Ireland, the European Commission created a special task force under Carlo Trojan to look into further ways of giving practical assistance to Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland in consultation with the national authorities. The creation of the task force was a practical expression of the European Union's commitment to the peace and reconciliation process, which had been underlined in the statement of then Commission President, Jacques Delors, welcoming the cessation of violence.

The task force carried out a very wide ranging consultation process in the course of which the views of all relevant parties were canvassed.

Following the report of the task force the Commission adopted a proposal for a Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland, to be implemented in the form of a Community initiative under the Structural Funds. The initiative will run for five years, from 1995 to 1999, equivalent to the remaining period of application of the current Structural Funds programmes. Community funding amounting to 300 million ECUs is being provided initially for a three year period, from 1995 to 1997. Further financing for the last two years will be subject to a review based on an evaluation of the programme on behalf of the Commission.

In Northern Ireland and the Border counties funding to match the EU contribution will come from a variety of sources. However, as indicated in the overall financial table attaching to the programme, the bulk of the matching funds will come from the two central Governments. The remainder will come from a variety of sources including local authorities, the private sector and community/voluntary groups.

Due to the nature of this programme, many projects will be submitted from disadvantaged groups or individuals who may have extreme difficulty in making a direct contribution to the financing of their proposals and this will be taken into account in deciding the level of funding from the programme. Account may also be taken of resources in kind, for example, premises and human resources. It is expected that the International Fund for Ireland will also cofinance some of the projects under this programme.

All matching funds provided by central Government will be fully additional.