asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the difficulties concerning the Regional Fund which made him withhold Ireland's agreement to the future financing of the EC.

At the Foreign Affairs Council on 13-14 June, there was full agreement on the own resources regulation regarding the future financing of the European Community. Ireland has no difficulty in that regard.

At the same Council, we did have certain difficulties regarding the completion of the structural funds framework regulation. Ireland reserved its position in order to explore more throughly the full implications of the legal text and of the accompanying Commission declaration, and in order to be fully satisfied that these texts were in conformity with the decision of the Brussels European Council.

At a special Foreign Affairs Council yesterday, a further Commission declaration — on what the special effort to be made in favour of the least prosperous regions of the Community will mean — was agreed. These extra assurances enabled Ireland to lift its reserve and the way is now clear for the adoption of the framework regulation.

The question has been overtaken by events but is the Taoiseach happy that what was agreed to yesterday safeguards Ireland's position as regards the cohesion of the Community and the doubling of structural funds between now and 1992?

We are happy about that.

When is it proposed to publish the regions and the structures under which we can apply for these funds within this country?

Things are very different at a number of different levels. First there is the framework regulation which is our main concern at present. Following that framework regulation there will be the implementation regulation. Then of course, we have to submit our own programmes.

There are new regulations whereby regions within this country will be drawn up which can then submit integrated programmes but the Government have not yet published what those regions will be. When can we expect that?

It will be a little while yet. The first thing is the national plan and then the sub-regions under the national plan. That work will be going on for most of this year.

That is going to have an effect on our ability to apply. Regions will be delayed in drawing up their plans because they will not know what region they are in.

All the work has to proceed together. We have to have the framework regulation; then we have to have the implementation regulations. Side by side with that we have to make our own internal arrangements for regions and plans for regions and so on. The whole thing will have to go on together.

The point I am making may be more appropriate to the Minister for Finance, but unless people know what programme they can apply to join, they will not be able to do it, and they cannot do it until the Government publish the areas for programmes.

That is not necessarily so. The regions will be decided. In advance of all that there will be pilot schemes and then the whole country will be divided up into regions.

That is what is needed urgently.

That will proceed. It is, to some extent, a little premature before we have the terms of the framework regulation and at least some of the implementation regulations, but I undertake to keep the Deputy and the House informed as we go along.

I will take it up again on the Finance Bill.