Vol. 527 No. 1
75 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the extent to which funds available from the EU to the current national plan have so far been expended; the likely targets for spending under these headings for the remaining years of the plan;; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27968/00]
There are three sectors under the aegis of my Department that will benefit from EU funding in the context of the National Development Plan, 2000-06. The sectors in question are public transport, energy and communications-electronic commerce. No EU moneys have been spent in these sectors to date in 2000, as formal approval by the European Commission of the operational programmes embracing these sectors is still awaited in the case of a national operational programme and has only been recently received in the case of the two regional operational programmes.
In the case of public transport, approval of the economic and social infrastructure operational programme is awaited from the EU commission. Approval by the EU commission is also awaited in relation to an application for cohesion fund assistance in respect of phase 1 of the Heuston terminal and south-west rail corridor development project. I understand that approval of both is imminent. As you are aware, no EU moneys may be spent pending approval by the commission of the operational programme and cohesion fund application; therefore, no EU moneys have been spent to date in 2000. The National Development Plan 2000-06 provides for ECU2.79 billion of investment towards public transport of which the EU will contribute ECU249 million over the period of the plan.
