Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Mar 1996

Vol. 462 No. 5

Written Answers. - EU Funds for Border Counties.

Bertie Ahern

Ceist:

60 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications the funds from the EU and other sources available for the southern Border counties; the funds that are additional or consequent on the peace process; and the purposes for which they have been or will be used in each of the years from 1994 to 1996. [3928/96]

Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications (Mr. Lowry)

In the period 1994-96, the Border area will benefit from a range of EU backed investments in the postal, energy, telecommunications and public transport sectors. The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table. None of the investments which have been undertaken since 1994, in respect of the areas which fall within my area of responsibility, are consequent on the peace process.

Estimates of EU Backed Expenditure 1994-96 in the Border area — Department of Transport, Energy and Communications

EU Programme	Funding (Ireland)	Annual Planned Expenditure by Project
Available EU funds for Border area 1994-1996	Matching Funds	Project	1994	1995	1996
Interreg Programme for Northern Ireland and Ireland 1989-1993	£0.2m	CIE — £0.2m	Upgrading Sligo Railway Station	£0.3m	£0.1m	—
	£0.005m	Sligo County Council — £0.005m	Biomass Study	£0.01m
Interreg Programme for Northern Ireland and Ireland 1994-1999	£2.42m	CIE—£0.11m	Upgrading Bus Stations	—	—	£0.22m
		Telecom Éireann — £1.5m	Development of Telecommunications	—	—	£3.0m
		ESB — £0.75m	Upgrading Electricity Network	—	—	£1.5m
		Private Sector £0.05m	Promotion of Energy Efficiency	—	—	£0.1m
Operational Programme for Peripherality 1989-1993; Operational Programme for Transport 1994-1999; Cohesion Fund	£39.26m	CIE — £15.74m	Upgrading of Dublin/Belfast Rail Link and provision of gantry crane at Dundalk	£12.6m	£18.9m	£23.
			See note 1
Operational Programme for Economic Infrastructure 1994-1999	£0.27m	An Post — £0.3m	Automation of Post Offices	—	—	£0.57m
		See Note 2
Special Programme for Peace and Reconciliation 1995-1999	See Note 3		Suitable projects being explored	—	—	—
Trans European Networks — North South Gas Interconnector Study	£0.12m	Bord Gáis Éireann — £0.06m	Feasibility Study on a North/South Gas Interconnector	—	—	£0.24m
Northern Ireland Authorities —£0.06m
THERMIE Programme	£0.24m	Private Sector — £0.36m	Heat Recovery Project in Donegal factory	—	—	£0.6m
EU SAVE Scheme (Regional & Urban Energy Management)	£0.1m	Public Sector — £0.15m	Energy Study of Donegal, Connacht and Clare	£0.13m	£0.12	—
	£0.8m	Public Sector — £0.08m	Donegal Energy Action Team Study	—	—	£0.16m
		See Note 4
ALTENER Programme 1993-1999	£0.03m	See Note 4	Renewable Energy Strategy for North West and Western Northern Ireland	—	—	£0.03m

Note 1: It is not possible at this stage to provide estimates of proposed investments on the Dublin/Sligo railway line; this will depend on the outcome of detailed consultations which are expected to take place with the EU Commission in the months ahead.

Note 2: The Operational Programme for Economic Infrastructure 1994-99 provides for a total investment programme of £259 million in postal, energy and telecommunications infrastructure. The Border area will benefit from some of the telecommunications investments under the operational programme, although only a small part of actual expenditure will take place in the area directly. The programme also provides for investments in specific energy related projects. The extent of the EU funds to be spent in the Border area will depend on private sector involvement in specific energy related projects which may be eligible for co-financing under the operational programme.

Note 3: The possibilities of EU funds being available for specific projects in the energy, public transport or telecommunications area are being explored with the Department of Finance.

Note 4: The projects being undertaken under the ALTENER and EU SAVE (Regional & Urban Energy Management) schemes are funded directly by the European Commission.