Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Jul 1996

Vol. 467 No. 7

Written Answers. - Border Counties EU Funding.

James Leonard

Ceist:

44 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Finance the number of projects and the amount of funding drawn down to date in the six Border counties from the EU Operational Programme 1994 to 1999, the EU INTERREG Programme 1994 to 1999 and the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation 1995 to 1999. [14311/96]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

The most recent meetings of the Monitoring Committees for the Community Support Framework, the Ireland/ Northern Ireland INTERREG Programme and the Special EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland were held within the last couple of weeks, and updated progress reports are in course of preparation. I will arrange to let the Deputy have copies of the updated reports when they are completed. This is expected to be within the next two weeks. I will also arrange for copies of the reports to be placed in the Dáil Library.

James Leonard

Ceist:

45 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Finance if he will recommend to the administrators of the EU peace and reconciliation funding to allow discretion in order that funding will be provided for capital projects, such as advance factories, in areas where there is a demand in view of the fact that this would be in line with the policy north of the Border. [14314/96]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

The Deputy is referring to the Special EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northen Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland.

This programme is very much a "bottom-up" one, and was approved following an extensive consultation process in the prospective eligible area. As the Deputy may be aware, this process revealed that the issue of social inclusion was seen as the most important factor right across the range of the sectoral interests surveyed.

While social inclusion is the specific focus around which the programme is built, several of the measures include actions aimed at improving the economic development of the eligible area in support of social inclusion. Sub-programme 2 (Urban and Rural Regeneration) permits a range of actions to be implemented by county councilled task forces, or by ADM Ltd. if Community-led projects are involved. There is also some scope for development under sub-programme 5 Measure 2 (New Industrial Development Services) again implemented by ADM Ltd.

Given that the European Commission was insistent that the programme reflect the wishes and needs of local communities, the Deputy will appreciate that the Government or individual Departments have no directionary powers in the matter. However, should application be made to the programme for support for the area mentioned by the Deputy the programme guidelines require that the relevant statutory agencies responsible for industrial development be consulted.

The Deputy is no doubt aware that the decision in the North to fund the advance factory in Strabane under the programme has led to widespread criticism. The agencies charged with implementing the programme in the Border counties will need to consider the reason for this criticism if called upon to assess similar applications for funding.