Vol. 574 No. 1
259 Mr. Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the certain closure of the European Union funded information centre in Cahirciveen, County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26183/03]
The Department of Foreign Affairs has been in contact with the European Commission Representation in Ireland concerning reports about the withdrawal of Commission funding next year for the European information points in Ireland, including the south west European Information Carrefour in Cahirciveen. I understand this problem has arisen following the introduction of the Commission's new financial regulation which, we understand, prohibits the provision of direct grant funding to more than 200 such information points around Europe from January 2004, including four information points in Ireland – Cahirciveen Dublin, Dungarvan and Mullingar.
The European Commission has indicated that it is anxious to ensure that the existing network of information points in Ireland and other member states continues to operate and is seeking to resolve this funding problem. In the immediate term, the European Commission Representation in Ireland has indicated that it will continue to provide non-financial support and assistance to the four Irish information points. This assistance includes the continued provision of information materials, brochures, maps, EU documentation and CD roms etc., to the information points for distribution to the public. The Commission Representation will also continue to fund training costs for host institution staff employed in the information points. Most of this training takes place in Brussels.
