Rory O'Hanlon
Ceist:86 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the funding, if any, that will be made available by his Department under the EU peace initiative fund. [10448/96]
Written Answers. - EU Peace Initiative Funding.
The EU Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties provides for a new five year Community Initiative, with EU funding of 300 MECU (or IR£240 million approximately) allocated for the first three years of the programme.
While the Department of Finance has overall responsibility for the implementation of the agreed operational programme on the Irish side, my Department has responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of two measures under the cross-Border development sub-programme. A provision of £1 million is included for this purpose under subhead F3 of the Foreign Affairs Vote in the 1996 Estimates.
Measure 1 is concerned with business and cultural linkages and is being administered on both sides of the Border by an intermediary funding body, Co-operation North, in association with IBEC and the CBI. My Department's role under this measure is primarily as a channel to Co-operation North of the EU and Government matching funds which will total 9.137 MECU (or IR£7.31 million approximately) over the period of the programme.
My Department's primary involvement under the EU programme will be in the implementation of measure 3 (A) concerning co-operation between public bodies. The rationale behind this measure is the adoption of co-ordinated approaches by public bodies to common problems in the eligible areas, North and South, which will contribute to the advancement of reconciliation in areas which are of significant importance in both social and economic terms. Total funding of 5.417 MECU (or IR£4.33 million approximately.) will be administered by my Department under this measure.