asked the Minister for Finance the amount of moneys outstanding from the EEC and the Departments involved.

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached tables, which I propose, with the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, to have circulated with the Official Report.

Ireland's commitments and receipts from Community funds

The tables below list Irish commitments and receipts in respect of the various expenditure sectors of the Community budget. Commitments are made at the commencement of multi-annual projects, and payments in respect of expenditure incurred are phased over the life of these projects. It is accordingly inherent in this system of financing that a certain amount of commitments will be outstanding at any particular time.

(1)Quota Section

(2)Non-Quota Section

(1)Annual breakdown not available.

Note: Receipts under the FEOGA Guarantee Section (agricultural price support) are not included in these tables as there is no distinction between commitments and payments in the matter of disbursements. A number of other headings, involving small receipts, are excluded for the same reason.

What is the total amount outstanding?

I can give the total figures to the Deputy but he will need to see the table to appreciate it fully under the various funds of social, regional or FEOGA and the makeup of EEC budgets vis-à-vis commitment to a particular country or project and receipts in any given year. Over the period 1977 until 1981 commitments amounted to something like £779.87 million and receipts in that period were £598.85 million leaving a balance due of £181.2 million.

There are assertions from time to time that we are not getting our full moneys from the EEC because of lateness in applying for these moneys or because of inefficiency of our part. Is there any foundation for these charges?

That is a separate question but I hope that that is not so because we should not in any circumstances leave money due to us anywhere without collecting it as efficiently and quickly as possible. If there are such instances as the Deputy has mentioned I would be glad to know of them and take them up with the appropriate Departments. I would be glad, as I am sure would every Deputy in this House within 24 hours of a budget, if we could have that £181 million paid now rather than have it outstanding.

The Minister has seen news reports in the public press from time to time.

I have seen some, but I am sure they are being examined in the appropriate Departments.