Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 7

Written Answers. - Cork Projects Funding.

Dan Wallace

Ceist:

363 Mr. D. Wallace asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the total value of support during 1995 from his Department for projects in Cork county and city; if he will identify each such project; the level of funding allocated in respect of each such project during 1995; and if he will breakdown each value into Exchequer and EU sub-components. [21558/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

While much of the information sought by the Deputy relates to the day-to-day business of agencies under the aegis of my Department, I will endeavour to provide an overall picture of the value of support provided to projects in the Cork region. Provision of specific details on the very many individual projects involved would place undue demands on the resources of my Department. However, the various agencies may be in a position to supply more detailed information in relation to specific projects.

IDA Ireland

During 1995 a total of £12,046,251 was paid to companies located in Cork city and county. As the IDA does not have direct access to EU funds, it is not possible to break down this amount into Exchequer and EU components.

Forbairt

Forbairt manages financial support programmes on behalf of the Department of Enterprise and Employment under a number of broad headings.

1. It manages financial support programmes under the provisions of the Industrial Development Acts, 1986-95. The total amount disbursed to firms in County Cork, including Cork city, in 1995 was £5,322,366 including £1,227,419 paid to Cork County Council. Some of these funds are co-financed by the European Social Fund. If individual projects meet the criterion set down by the ESF they are co-financed at a rate of 75 per cent.

2. Forbairt manages the Industry Research and Development Initiative (Measure 1 of the Sub-Programme for Indigenous Industry Development), and Retex Programmes which also provide funds to enterprises, both being funded by the EU to a maximum of 50 per cent. In 1995, £595,565 and £28,602 was provided to firms in County Cork under these headings.

ESF

Two EU Human Resources Community Initiatives — EMPLOYMENT and ADAPT — are supported by the European Social Fund. Both Initiatives commenced in 1995 and will operate until the end of 1999.

The EU contributes a maximum of 75 per cent of the total cost of each project and project promoters are required to raise the matching funds from other sources.

In the autumn of 1995, eight projects in the Cork region were allocated European Social Fund aid totalling £72,500 for the Project Development Phase of the EMPLOYMENT Initiative. Seven projects in the Cork region were allocated European Social Fund aid totalling £63,000 for the Project Development Phase of ADAPT.

Under the EU's Innovative Actions (Article 6) programme, which ran from 1993 to the end of 1995, one project in the Cork region was allocated £37,970 in European Social Fund aid. This EU programme was designed to test innovative approaches to employment and vocational training.

County Enterprise Boards

The Deputy will appreciate that matters relating to projects supported by a city or county enterprise board fall within the day-to-day responsibility of the enterprise board concerned and, accordingly, details relating to individual projects approved by the Cork CEBs should be sought from the relevant CEB. However, the aggregate payments made in 1995 are as follows:

Grant Payments, 1995

County Enterprise Board	Grants paid in 1995
	£
Cork City	363,465
Cork North	173,759
Cork South	599,554
Cork West	325,262

FÁS

The Deputy may be aware that it is not usual practice for the Minister to provide detailed information on the day-to-day functions of FÁS. I suggest that any specific queries relating to local services should be addressed directly to the Oireachtas Liaison Unit of FÁS.

Finance and Small Business Expansion Loan Scheme

Under the £208 million Access to Finance Scheme (AFS) run by the four main banks, AIB, Bank of Ireland, NIB and Ulster Bank, which commenced in September 1995, Cork city and county were approved for £2.1 million in lending to 22 companies. The AFS interest rate subsidy for Cork was £8,348 in 1995. The Exchequer contribution was £1,484, the EU contribution was £2,820 and the bank contribution was £4,044.

Under the £100 million Small Business Expansion Loan Scheme (SBELS) run by ICC Bank, which commenced in February 1994, Cork city and county were approved for £10.1 million in lending to 71 companies. Based on these approvals the SBEL interest rate subsidy for Cork was £133,738 in 1995. There is no EU component in this scheme and the full subsidy is paid by the Exchequer.

Vocational Training

Pilot Projects

In 1995 a pilot project promoted by City of Cork Vocational Education Committee was selected by the Commission and the national authorities as one of the 19 projects to receive funding.

The Leonardo da Vinci projects are transnational in nature and are being implemented by a partnership involving the United Kingdom, Germany and Norway, as well as Ireland.

This project was awarded 120,000 ECU as a contribution to its costs which were stated as 298,583 ECU in the original application. The remainder of the costs are carried by the organisation in the four participating countries. The project has a duration of two years.

Transnational Mobility Projects

Three of the projects selected in 1995 were located in Cork. The Regional Technical College sent ten students to Italy with a total grant of 8,000 ECU as a contribution to the costs of the programme. The sectors were Tourism, Business and Science.

The College of Commerce (City of Cork vocational education committee) sent three teachers to France and Italy with a total grant of 3,234 ECU. The sector was Childcare.

The Gurranebraher and Knocknaheeny Community Training Workshop, Cork, sent six trainers to Germany with a total grant of 5,000 ECU. The sector was Fashion Design.