Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the date of establishment of the programme for peace and reconciliation; if this body is still in existence; the purpose and role of this body; the number of members of the board of this body; the number of whom are appointed by his Department; the person by whom the remaining board members are appointed; the amount of financial support provided by the Government to this committee for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5374/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be referring to the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The SEUPB was established in December 1999 as one of six North South Implementation Bodies set up under the Good Friday Agreement. Its primary role is to manage two cross border European Union programmes, the PEACE programme and the Ireland/Northern Ireland/Scotland INTERREG programme. The Peace and Reconciliation Programme has been in existence since 1995, predating the existence of the SEUPB. The operating costs of the SEUPB are met by the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) in Northern Ireland, who are officially the Sponsor Departments of that Body. Administration costs are, in the main, apportioned 50/50.

The Body reports to the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). The NSMC appoints the Chief Executive Office of the Body and the Chief Executive is directly answerable to the NSMC for the Body's use of any resources made available to it. The SEUPB has no board. The DoF contribution to SEUPB administration costs for each of the five previous years are as follows:

The provision for 2008 is €1.835m.