Joe Walsh
Ceist:22 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Social Welfare the current status of the EU Poverty IV Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1224/96]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers - EU Poverty IV Programme.
As the Deputy is aware, a proposal for a fourth EU Poverty Programme to combat social exclusion, which requires unanimity, has been blocked by Germany and the UK. The German Government objected not only to the timing of the new programme and to the doubling of the budget, but also raised objections in principle to the proposal. To date, all efforts by the Commission and other member states, including personal interventions by me on behalf of the Irish Government, have not succeeded in changing the German and UK Government's opposition to this proposal. It is clear that the objections to the specific proposal put forward by the Commission are deeply rooted.
At the Social Affairs Council meeting in October of last year, which I attended, it was decided, following suggestions which I raised in order to advance the matter, to refer the issue to the Social Exclusion Expert Group meeting of 12 December 1995 with a view to breaking the deadlock in that forum. Ireland was specifically requested to address that forum, in the context of advancing the argument in favour of a specific programme to combat exclusion. Once again, however, while there was strong support for a poverty programme in general, the German and UK delegates reiterated their Government's objection in principle. The issue has remained unresolved now for some time and there are no indications that the situation will change in the foreseeable future.
The Deputy may be interested to know that the EU Commission, as an interim measure, launched during the final months of 1995, a "European Funding Initiative for Projects seeking to overcome Social Exclusion". Under the programme, groups were offered once-off grants in support of innovative projects against social exclusion; invitations to apply for funding were sent directly from the Commission to interested groups. I understand a total of nine Irish projects have now received funding under this initiative.
This matter has dragged on for all of last year and part of 1994. We were told on several occasions last year that major victories had been achieved at Council of Ministers meetings — one headline indicated this matter was kept on the agenda. Following on previous poverty programmes which were very successful, has the Minister failed to convince his colleagues in Europe to give the go-ahead to this programme which is valued at about £10 million and aimed at poverty black spots.
Previous poverty programmes were very successful. Projects which were funded under the Poverty III Programme and which no longer receive European Union funding are now funded by my Department. On the question of support by the Council, in order for this programme to be proceeded with, unanimity is required. If one member state objects to it, it cannot proceed. The programme has been supported by all member states except Germany and the UK who adamantly refuse to allow it to go forward. The question of overcoming those objections is currently being addressed by the expert group. The German objection is specifically a constitutional objection relating to subsidiarity. Germany argues that the European Union has no right or responsibility under the Maastricht Treaty to be involved in national antipoverty programmes.
All member states, including Ireland, have found it impossible to overcome that objection. The United Kingdom Minister opposes it purely and simply because of his refusal to accept a doubling of the funds provided for the programme. The current position is that it has been impossible to overcome those objections. The success spoken about with regard to my endeavours in this matter was to the effect that there had been moves to kill off the programme at the last and penultimate Council meetings when I succeeded in maintaining it on the agenda so that it would not be abolished.
How many times has the Minister visited the capitals of the two objecting member states for bilateral meetings to unlock this programme?
I have not visited the capitals of either the United Kingsom or Germany on this matter. I have appointed an official of my Department permanently in Brussels to pursue this and other matters relating to concerns of my Department. He is now working with the permanent Irish representation there as well as representatives of the Departments of Foreign Affairs and Enterprise and Employment and is doing an excellent job in pursuing the interests of my Department on this and other issues.
Has the Minister received any advice from the Combat Poverty Agency with regard to ths programme?
No, not specifically.