I propose to take Questions Nos. 7, 38 and 168 together. It is expected that EU funding totaling £26.5 million in respect of fishery protection will be made available from 1998 — 2000 inclusive. Of this amount £7.9 million relates to 1998, £10.4 million to 1999 and £8.2 million to 2000. In addition, EU funding for the national civil defence exercise in 1999 is being pursued with the European Commission and a decision is awaited.
A number of equipment projects included in the overall fishery protection programme 1996 — 2000 had to be assessed from a technical and financial point of view. Expenditure on these projects had to be deferred as this assessment took time. Consequently, the EU funding drawn down to date has been less than originally contemplated. However, a number of the deferred projects have been included in the final three years of the programme and subject to these projects meeting appropriate technical and financial requirements final expenditure under this aspect of the programme may be in line with that originally planned.
The most significant project covered is the supply of a new fishery protection vessel, due for delivery in September 1999. EU assistance in support of this project is £5.3 million, which represents 65 per cent of funding. The programme agreed by the EU in 1995 also provided for the refund of additional operational costs incurred by Ireland between 1996 and 2000. However, as progress on recruiting personnel for the Naval Service has been slower than expected the full amount available under this heading may not be drawn down.