46 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Finance the amount of money allocated by the European Union in 1993 and projected for 1994 under the community support framework, the Cohesion Fund, and the community initiative; and the way in which this compares with what was originally expected by the Government when it framed the National Plan spending.

49 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Finance if, in respect of the years 1994 to 1999, he will tabulate in 1994 Irish pound prices the estimated value of the global amount available from the European Union for the community support framework for Ireland; the estimated value or range of values for community initiatives for Ireland; the estimated value or range of values for the Cohesion Funds; the sum of all three estimates against the equivalent 1994 to 1999 Estimates published in the National Development Plan, 1994 to 1999, adjusted to 1994 prices, and in terms of current Irish prices the gap between the actual or probable global figures available from the European Union; and the equivalent figures sought in October 1993 by Ireland.

50 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Finance if, in respect of the years 1994 to 1999, he will give in 1994 Irish pound prices the estimated value of the Cohesion Funds available from the European Union for Ireland, or, in the absence of a specific agreed amount, the probable range of values over the relevant period; and for the same period and in 1994 Irish pound prices the amount sought in respect of the same set of funds in the National Development Plan, 1994/1999.

51 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Finance if, in respect of the years 1994 to 1999, he will give in 1994 Irish pound prices the estimated value of the global amount available from the European Union for community initiatives for Ireland, or in the absence of a specific amount of estimate an indicative range of probable amounts; and for the period and in 1994 Irish pound prices the global amount sought in respect of the same set of funds in the National Development Plan, 1994/1999.

52 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Finance if, in respect of the years 1994 to 1999, he will give in 1994 Irish pound prices the estimated value of the global amount available from the European Union for the community support framework for Ireland that is the global value of the sum of the European Regional Development Fund, ESF and the Guidance section EAGGF; and for the same period and in 1994 Irish pound prices the global amount sought in respect of the same set of funds in the National Development Plan, 1994/1999.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 46, 49, 50, 51 and 52 together.

As Deputies are aware the allocation of resources to Ireland falls within the range 8.1 to 9.3 billion ECU in 1992 prices. Converting to Irish pounds and to 1994 prices, this is equivalent to a range of IR£6.9 billion to IR£8 billion. In October 1993, the Commission decided the amounts on which it would negotiate Community Support Frameworks (CSFs) for the disbursement of the Structural Funds in the period 1994-1999.