asked the Minister for Finance if he is satisfied that EC funding under EC Regulation No. 3637/85 of 17 December 1985 will be taken up within the five year period to 1991.

16.

asked the Minister for Finance if the programme under Regulation No. 3637/85 has been finalised; and when approval of the EC Commission is expected.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 and 16 together.

Drafting of a programme as required by Regulation No. 3637/85 is under way, and discussions have been taking place with the Commission on the basis of a preliminary draft with a view to ensuring that the programme, when submitted, will be approved as quickly as Commission procedures allow. I expect that the programme will be approved later this year, but it would not be possible for me to specify a date. I am confident that the available funding will be taken up in the period in question.

Does the Minister agree that the time span under this directive is from February 1986 to February 1991? The indications from An Bord Gáis Éireann are that it may take up to two years to carry out the economic viability study and the feasibility study in that area.

The Deputy will realise that it involves very substantial expenditure of funds involving a significant contribution by the Exchequer. Therefore, there is a considerable need to ensure that adequate cost benefit studies have been done to satisfy oneself that the individual components of the programme are economically justifiable.