Bertie Ahern
Ceist:52 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Finance the administrative structures and procedures which have been put in place for applications for additional EU funding in support of the peace process. [19194/96]
Written Answers. - Peace and Reconciliation Fund.
Dermot Ahern
Ceist:62 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Finance the total amount of money allocated to date out of the EU peace and reconciliation fund in the six Border counties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18632/96]
Brendan Smith
Ceist:69 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Finance the allocation made available under each sub-programme of the EU's Operational Programme to promote peace and reconciliation; the projects assisted to date; the level of funding allocated in respect of each project; whether he has satisfied himself with the progress to date of this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16657/96]
Rory O'Hanlon
Ceist:95 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Finance the projects which have been allocated funding from the peace and reconciliation moneys; and the amount of funding which has been allocated in each case. [16593/96]
Rory O'Hanlon
Ceist:97 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Finance the amount of money allocated to date from the European Union peace initiatives funding for Border counties; the 11 measures for which ADM Combat Poverty has responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11908/96]
Rory O'Hanlon
Ceist:98 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Finance the amount of money allocated to date under the European funding for peace and reconciliation in the Border counties; the projects which have benefited from such funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11910/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 52, 62, 69, 95, 97 and 98 together.
The total EU funding available for the initiative to support the peace process in Northern Ireland and Border counties (Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo) is 300 million ECU (IR£240 million) over three years (1995/1997). Funding for a further two years is subject to a Commission review. Up to 80 per cent of the funding is available for activities in Northern Ireland and at least 20 per cent (approximately £48 million) for activities in the Border counties. At least 15 per cent of the overall amount is reserved for activities carried out in a cross-Border context. The European Community finances up to 75 per cent of the cost of measures under the initiative. The balance of the cost comes from the Exchequer and other national sources.
An unusual feature of the programme is the extent to which implementation of the various measures has been devolved to intermediary funding bodies and the particular emphasis on actions to combat social exclusion which permeates every measure and sub-programme of the programme. The intermediary bodies are funded by way of global grants on foot of legal agreements signed between them and the EU Commission. This departure from the norm was strongly recommended in the course of widespread consultation in the eligible areas carried out by the EU Commission Task Force and the two administrations.
The Deputies are aware that under the terms of the global grant agreements the Commission has given discretion to the intermediary funding bodies as to how the measures for which they are responsible are to be administered. The relevant bodies in the Border counties are Area Development Management Ltd. (ADM) and the Combat Poverty Agency (CPA). Those bodies report to the Departments of the Taoiseach and Social Welfare respectively and operate under Boards of Management on which those Departments are represented. Co-operation North, in conjunction with IBEC/CBI (NI) manages the measure supporting cross-Border business and cultural linkages. The Department of Foreign Affairs monitors activities under this measure.
My Department, together with the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland, is responsible for the overall co-ordination of the programme, but has no operational role in the day to day activities of the intermediary funding bodies.
The bodies' statutory responsibilities became effective on 8 December 1995 when with Commissioner Wulf-Mathies on behalf of the Commission, they signed the global grant agreements governing how the funding was to be administered. The bodies then had to set up offices, take on staff etc. and this process was substantially completed by end February 1996. Since that date the bodies have been actively involved in implementing the actions provided for under the measures. ADM and Combat Poverty have set up office in Monaghan town, and all of the measures for which they are responsible are managed from there. The office also provides a local focus for Co-operation North. In this way liaison between the bodies is enhanced.
Another innovative delivery mechanism involves county council-led task forces, operating in each of the six Border counties. They are responsible for delivering a wide range of actions in the urban and rural regeneration areas. The task forces have a considerable degree of discretion in deciding how the allocation is to be spent but the programme requires that representative and relevant local interests be consulted as appropriate. The Department of the Environment has responsibility for overseeing the activities of the task forces.
The total EU funding disbursed through these devolved mechanisms totals £33.7 million or over 70 per cent of the amount allocated to the Border counties.
The Commission accepted that a small number of measures could not appropriately be devolved to intermediary funding bodies. The Department of the Environment is responsible for EU investment totalling £5.2 million under the cross-Border infrastructure measure. A further £5 million in EU funding has been provided for measures involving cross-Border co-operative actions between public bodies. These measures are monitored by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The loan subsidy provisions are being administered by the European Investment Bank through the medium of the commercial banking system in the Border area. The Department of Finance is responsible for overseeing this measure and almost all available funding has already been committed.
The Department of Finance also implements the technical assistance measure, totalling nearly £1 million in EU funding. Its function is to support the administration of the programme. Nearly all the technical assistance budget goes to meet the running expenses of the intermediary funding bodies.
The total commitment figure to date is almost £28 million, or over 58 per cent of the EU allocation to the Border counties. I think that this figure is highly satisfactory given the difficult circumstances pertaining and it represents a high current pace of commitment as most of it has been committed within the last six months. I expect that rate of progress to continue and improve now that all of the delivery mechanisms are fully operational. While the bulk of commitments to date can be accounted for by the activities of State agencies the intermediary funding bodies have been recording impressive progress recently. In the coming months I would expect them to account for an increasing share of commitments. It should be borne in mind that in many respects they had to engage on a steep learning curve and the areas of the programme for which they hold responsibility are among the most sensitive and difficult. I am satisfied that all of the funding available will be drawn down before the expiry of the programme.
I have arranged to circulate an appendix to this reply setting out the figures to end September 1996 in respect of total commitments and projects assisted under the programme. The table includes details of the specific measures administered by Area Development Management and the Combat Poverty Agency.