Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Dec 1998

Vol. 497 No. 6

Written Answers - Grant Schemes.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

129 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the nature of each grant scheme operated by his Department since the formation of the Government; the objective of the scheme; and the name of each body or individual grant aided under each scheme. [25936/98]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Andrews):

Particulars of the grant schemes operated by the Department of Foreign Affairs are detailed as follows. Details of recipients are listed where this is practicable at this stage. In the case of schemes Nos. 1 to 4 below, which are operated by Irish Aid, the lists of recipients are quite extensive. They are detailed for 1997 in the 1997 Irish Aid Annual Report, which I am sending directly to the Deputy. It would not be possible, without a disproportionate diversion of administrative resources, to distinguish in these lists between beneficiaries grant-aided before the present Government took office and those grant-aided after that date. A list of beneficiaries for 1998 will appear in the 1998 annual report, which will be available next year. This will be sent to the Deputy in due course.

1. The Irish Aid Fellowship Training Programme

Description and objectives

The programme provides grants to postgraduate students from developing countries for training and further studies in Ireland or — where appropriate opportunities exist — in developing countries. It is aimed at ensuring that the people of Irish Aid partner countries are equipped with the technical and managerial skills required to support a sustainable development process.

2. The NGO Co-Financing Scheme

Description and objectives

The scheme supports once-off capital and other small-scale development projects by Non-Governmental Organisations (NG0s) in developing countries. The overall objective of the scheme is to support the alleviation of poverty. Grant assistance is provided to meet basic needs in the following areas: basic education; primary health care water/sanitation; income generation; urban community development; rural development and training.

3. The Human Rights and Democratisation Scheme

Description and objectives

The scheme provides assistance, primarily through NGOs, for the development of democratic processes and institutions and for the protection of human rights, in countries outside the Irish Aid priority countries.

4. Emergency Humanitarian funding

Description and objectives

Funding is allocated for relief operations to alleviate the effects of natural disasters, conflicts, famine and drought. This assistance is targeted at the most vulnerable groups including refugees and displaced people. Funding for Emergency Humanitarian Assistance in 1997 amounted to £6 million.

5. Rehabilitation and reconstruction assistance

Description and objectives

This scheme addresses a gap between the response to emergencies and a return to long-term development. Support for rehabilitation is of particular importance in countries which are in an immediate post-conflict phase. The objective of rehabilitation assistance is to address basic needs, develop institutional and human resource capacity and to do so in a way that is inclusive and supports conciliation in divided societies. Funding for rehabilitation assistance in 1997 amounted to £4 million and £5 million in 1998.

Recipients

Details of beneficiaries in 1997 are as follows. Details for 1998 will be available next year.

Refugee Trust, Trócaire, Irish Red Cross, Overseas Broadcasting Network, Chernobyl Children's Fund, HMD International, Concern, UCC, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Action Aid Ireland, Mr Joe Fee, First Freight, Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commission of Real Property Claims, African Rights, Trinity College, Dublin, ESB International, Government of Rwanda, Alternative Information Network, UNICEF, Overseas Development Institute, International Crisis Group, SEZAM, ARDEC, Rwandan Ministry of Interior, Rwandan Ministry of Family, Rwandan Ministry of Health, CARE.

6. Grant to Voluntary Organisations in the USA and Australia who give advice and information to Irish emigrants.

Description and objectives

The schemes supports organised groups in the Irish communities in those countries who are providing valuable and essential information and advice services to Irish emigrants, especially those who are newly arrived from Ireland, on matters such as their legal status and the authorities locally to contacted regarding employment, accommodation, and health, social and other public services. In recent years these organisations also assist Irish people planning to return to Ireland.

Recipients

Project Irish Outreach, New York, Emerald Isle Immigration Centre, New York, Irish Apostolate of the Diocese of Brooklyn/Queen's, New York, Irish AIDS Outreach, New York, Federation of Irish-American Societies, Philadelphia, Gaelic Immigration Assistance, Philadelphia, Emerald Isle Information Centre, Florida, Irish Pastoral Centre, Boston, Irish Immigration Centre, Boston, CARA, San Francisco, FOIR, San Francisco, CAEIL, San Francisco, Irish Immigration Pastoral Centre, San Francisco, Southern California Irish Network, Los Angeles, Fáilte — Irish Immigration, Washington D.C., Irish-Australian Welfare Bureau, Melbourne, Irish-Australian Welfare Bureau, Sydney, Irish-Australian Welfare Bureau, Wollongong.

7. Peace and Reconciliation Fund:

Description and objectives

The Peace and Reconciliation Fund was established under the Department's North-South and Anglo-Irish subhead in 1982. The fund's objectives are to assist organisations involved in reconciliation work and to encourage and facilitate better relations between the people in Ireland and between Ireland and Britain.

Recipients

The organisations assisted since the formation of the Government are as follows:

Glencree Reconciliation Centre, Cultures of Ireland, Belfast-Dublin Peace Race, Anglo Irish Encounter. Co-Operation Ireland, P. E. A. C. E., Limerick International Band Festival, Centre for Peace and Development Studies, Between, Irish School of Ecumenics, Irish Peace Institute, Pax Christi.

8. EU Special Support programme for Peace and Reconciliation (EU SSPPR) — Co-operation between Public Bodies

Description and objectives

The Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland are jointly responsible for the implementation of two measures under the EU SSPPR dealing with co-operation between public bodies. The objective of the measures is "to release further synergies in the provision of public services through co-operation between public bodies leading to an improvement of services in the interests of the Border communities."

Recipients

The EU SSPPR is for a five year period from 1995 to 1999. A list of 29 projects were all approved during the period of office of the previous Government and involved the allocation of funding for the period 1995 to 1997 are detailed below. It is anticipated that the balance of funding for the years 1998 and 1999 will be allocated to projects over the next two months.

Truagh Development Association, Louth County Library Board, County Cavan VEC, County Leitrim VEC, County Monaghan VEC, Department of Education and Science, County Donegal VEC, Co-operation and Working Together (CAWT), Regional Ambulance HQ Brewshill, Navan, County Meath, Northern Eastern Health Board, Louth County Council, Northern Regional Fisheries Board, Donegal County Council, Geological Survey of Ireland, FAS, Bord Failte, Department of Tourism Sport and Recreation, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Na Doiri Beaga, Dún na nGall.

9. The Cultural Relations Committee (CRC)

Description and objectives

The CRC is a voluntary, non-statutory body, established in 1949. Its members are appointed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs to advise on the distribution of financial grants from the allocation for cultural relations abroad made to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

The purpose of these grants is to give support in other countries to Irish cultural activities of excellence. In deciding on the activities to be assisted, attention is also given to their potential to promote tourism and investment from abroad. Proposals are considered for events, for example, performances, exhibitions, lectures, the full costs of which are not available to those involved in their organisation or performance. Decisions on the disbursement of funds are made by the Minister for Foreign Affairs based on the Cultural Relations Committee's recommendations.

Recipients

Particulars of grants allocated in 1997 together with details of recipients are contained in a report of the Cultural Relations Committee which I am sending directly to the Deputy. Details of grants allocated during 1998 will be made available to the Deputy as soon as the information has been compiled.

10. Communicating Europe Taskforce

Description and objectives

The chairmanship of the Communicating Europe Taskforce was transferred from the Department of the Taoiseach to the Department of Foreign Affairs in July of 1997. The purpose of the task force is to raise awareness of Europe in Ireland and to improve the quality and accessibility of public information on European issues.

Recipients

Irish Countrywomen's Association, European Movement, Institute of European Affairs.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

130 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the nature of each grant scheme operated by her Department since the formation of the Government; the objective of the scheme; and the name of each body or individual grant aided under each scheme. [25937/98]

Minister for Public Enterprise (Mrs. O'Rourke):

The following attached schedule details the grant schemes operated by my Department, or on behalf of my Department, since the formation of the Government.

In the case of energy efficiency, the Irish Energy Centre operates two grant schemes on behalf of the Department — the energy audit grant scheme, EAGS, and the energy efficiency investment support scheme, EEISS. Due to the large number of projects involved under these two grant schemes, the individual names of beneficiaries has not been provided. However, if the Deputy requires this information, I will seek it from the Irish Energy Centre.

As regards the farm electrification grant scheme, the names of bodies and individuals grant aided are not readily available. My Department is currently compiling this information and I will arrange to have it supplied directly to the Deputy on completion.

Grant Scheme	Objective	Payees
Alternative Energy Requirement (AER)	To secure additional alternative (i.e. alternatives to conventional fossil fuel based technology) and renewable electricity generation capacity	A condition of the grant scheme is that the electricity generating plant is commissioned prior to payment. No payments have yet been made.
“Energy Challenge”	To support initiatives in EU border regions to develop sustainable local energy opportunities.	Údarás na Gaeltachta, Cavan County Council, Donegal Energy Action, Team Bryson House Charity, Sligo County Enterprise Fund, Forest Enterprises Ltd, Leitrim County Enterprise Board Ltd, Arramara Teo, Donegal Energy Action Team, Comharchumann Forbartha Oileá in Thoraí
This is an EU scheme operated under the INTERREG Programme which promotes cross-Border co-operation in the area of sustainable energy. In Ireland, it is administered by the Department of Public Enterprise, Dublin and the Department of Economic Development, Belfast.
The Energy Audit Grant Scheme (EAGS)	Introduced in 1994, it provided grant support to organisations that engaged an outside consultant to carry out site energy audits and surveys. Financial support of up to 40 per cent of the cost of the audit, subject to a maximum of IR£5,000 was available. Closed for applications in October 1997.	Due to the large number of projects involved, the individual names of beneficiaries have not been provided.
(operated by the Irish Energy Centre on behalf of the Department)
The Energy Efficiency Investment Support Scheme (EEISS)	It provided grant assistance to energy users in the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors for investment in energy efficient technologies. A grant of up to 40 per cent of the cost of projects was available from the Irish Energy Centre. Closed for applications in October, 1997.	Due to the large number of projects involved, the individual names of beneficiaries have not been provided.
(operated by the Irish Energy Centre on behalf of the Department)
Farm Electrification Grant Scheme for Disadvantaged Areas (FEGS)	Introduced in 1990, this is a continuation of the EC funded Western Aid Electrification Package Scheme (FEOGA) which was originally introduced in 1980.	Names of bodies/individuals grant aided under the Farm Electrification Grant Scheme are not readily available. The Department are currently compiling this information and it will be supplied directly to the Deputy on completion.
	The scheme subsidises the installation of electricity supply to farms located in disadvantaged areas which are without supply or where supply is inadequate to facilitate their development and modernisation.
Regional Airport Marketing	To assist regional airports with marketing and promotion	Donegal International Airport.
Corrib Airport.
		Kerry Airport plc.
		Connaught Airport Development Co. Ltd.
		Sligo North West Airport Co. Ltd.
		Waterford Regional Airport.
Residual Works at Regional Airports	To assist regional airports with residual development works.	Donegal International Airport.
Corrib Airport.
		Connaught Airport Development Co. Ltd.
		Sligo North West Airport Co. Ltd.
		Waterford Regional Airport.