asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will ensure that County Longford and the lower valuations farms of County Westmeath will benefit from the proposed European Regional Development Fund.

At the meeting of heads of Government in Paris on 9th and 10th December there was agreement on the establishment of a regional development fund for the years 1975-77. However, negotiations will still have to take place to determine the methods of operation of the fund. Ireland as a whole, including Counties Longford and Westmeath, will benefit from the fund but it is impossible at this stage to indicate in detail how the fund's resources will be distributed among particular areas.