Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 2 Jul 1996

Vol. 467 No. 7

Written Answers. - EU Peace Programme.

Dermot Ahern

Ceist:

46 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Finance the date on which the Delors package for peace and reconciliation for Northern Ireland and the six Border counties was agreed and approved; when it was decided that ADM and the Combat Poverty Agency were to be the bodies responsible for its implementation in the six Border counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14340/96]

Minister for Finance (Mr. Quinn)

The Deputy is referring to the Special EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland. The programme was approved by the European Commission on 20 July 1995. The Commission, resulting from the local consultation process carried out in the eligible area, had insisted on the maximum use being made of intermediary funding bodies (IFBs) to be funded by way of global grant on foot of legal agreements signed between the Commission and the IFBs.

All Departments with responsibilities relevant to the wide span of actions envisaged by the programme were involved in the preparatory period in the drafting of the programme. In view of the extent of local development "bottom-up" actions and given the emphasis on social inclusion the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Social Welfare proposed, respectively, Area Development Management Ltd. (ADM), which already had responsibility for delivering the local development programme, and combat poverty as suitable IFBs. This was endorsed by the Commission, and both bodies were charged with implementing a range of measures appropriate to their areas of expertise.

The global grant agreements were duly signed by the relevant parties on 8 December 1995. The agreements provide for a re-consideration of the suitability of any IFB to continue its role under the programme should its performance fail to attain the standard expected. In this connection, the midterm review of the programme, which is required by the Commission before the question of further funding for the programme for 1998 and 1999, will cover all aspects of affecting delivery of the programme. The review will be carried out by independent assessors appointed following an open tendering procedure. In carrying out the review the assessors will have regard to the views of the widely representative programme monitoring committee and consultative forum, as well as local target groups.