Vol. 501 No. 2
24 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Finance the latest position in respect of the application of rates allowance and double rent relief in the Custom House Docks area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5444/99]
The latest position regarding the application of double rent allowance and rates remission in the Custom House Docks Area is that the EU Commission on 9 February 1999 issued a formal letter to the Irish authorities in regard to their decision of 20 January 1999 on the matter. The Commission stated in this letter that they have initiated proceedings against Ireland in respect of the post-31 May 1993 time extensions of the double rent and rates remission reliefs in the area in question without EU Commission approval. The Irish authorities have one month to respond to this formal letter and a response is currently being prepared. The next step in the procedure will involve the Commission publishing the formal letter in the official EU Journal. As occurs in all such cases involving State aid third parties from member states are entitled to send comments to the EU Commission on the matter within one month of the date of the publication of the letter. When this stage of the procedure is complete the Commission will then be in a position to further examine the issue and hopefully make a final decision on the matter.
My Department has been active in pursuing these issues as constructively as possible with the Commission. We have also held detailed discussions with the interested parties here to keep them fully in the picture. Officials from my Department had a meeting with EU Commission officials in Brussels on 17 February 1999 to progress this case further.
