Vol. 473 No. 5
182 Mr. Gallagher (Donegal South-West) asked the Minister for the Marine the moneys, if any, which have not been used under the EU PESCA Initiative for Ireland; if so, when these moneys will be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1886/97]
The PESCA Community initiative, 1994-1999, is intended to realise almost £11 million investment in fishing communities around the coast, attracting some £5.87 million in EU aid.
Seventy-two projects have been approved to date representing total investment of £4.378 million, including £2.295 million in EU aid. This commits nearly 40 per cent of the total EU budget for the PESCA programme over the period.
A further tranche of projects will be approved in the near future. I fully expect that the satisfactory level of Irish projects being generated, and approved, will be maintained over the lifetime of the initiative, thus ensuring maximum take-up of available funding under PESCA.
