Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 29 Jan 1998

Vol. 486 No. 2

Written Answers. - EU Funding.

John Bruton

Ceist:

126 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health and Children the funds, if any, his Department or agencies under its aegis are receiving from the Community Support Framework of the EU; and, if so, the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure that the private sector is allowed to participate in tendering for grants under the operational programme on the basis of criteria set down in advance as agreed as part of the mid-term review of the Community Support Framework. [22693/97]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

My Department is approved for EU funding under the Community Support Framework for: training for people with disabilities as part of the Operational Programme for Human Resources 1994 to 1999 — EU funding comes from two sources, the European Social Fund and the European Regional Development Fund; the Tallaght Hospital project — EU funding comes from the European Regional Development Fund.

1. Training for people with Disabilities

ESF funding totalling 149.7 mecu over the lifetime of the operational programme is available for the vocational training operations for people with disabilities.

The National Rehabilitation Board is the national implementing authority for training for people with disabilities measure under the operational programme. It co-ordinates the agencies' claims, monitors the programmes and disburses funds among the agencies.

The Capital Programme for Vocational Training Centres Operational Programme provides for a capital allocation of 22.5 mecu from the European Regional Development Fund for vocational training centres for the period 1994-99. The capital programme has been drawn up regionally through co-ordinating committees chaired by each health board in consultation with training agencies to fully represent the immediate priorities for capital developments in the vocational training field.

Health boards and the NRB, as contracting agents for this funding within the operational programme, are responsible for the implementation of EU Directives on public procurement in the areas of works, supplies and services. My Department, as a matter of routine, advises health agencies in that regard.

In the mid-term review decision on EU Structural Funding support, the Community Support Framework monitoring committee called for the examination by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, the lead Department for the operational programme, of the scope for implementing change in pursuit of greater cost recovery, reduced aid rates, increased tendering for services and for more competition in the delivery of services.

This and related qualitative issues were brought to the attention of the monitoring committee of the operational programme at its last meeting in October 1997. It was agreed at that meeting that the qualitative issues would be followed up at future monitoring committee and co-ordinating committee meetings.

My Department is giving consideration to these issues in advance of the next meeting of these committees.

2.Tallaght Hospital

ERDF contribution will represent no more than 30 per cent of the total project cost to a maximum of 39.37-mecu.