Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Finance if there is any EU scheme whereby groups here can apply for loan finance from any of the EU institutions for community-related development projects. [27264/10]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is responsible for, amongst other things, overall policy in relation to Ireland's EU Structural and Cohesion Funds. In this context, there are a number of financial engineering instruments available to Member States such as JASPERS, JEREMIE, JESSICA and JASMINE. However, these are more suitable to large scale programmes and do not form part of our Structural Funds programmes for 2007 to 2013. The other major EU Funding which Ireland receives relates to Agriculture i.e. European Agricultural Guarantee Fund (EAGF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) which fall outside this Department's remit. I understand that there is no provision for loan financing under these funds.

There are a number of smaller EU funding streams which fall outside the remit of my Department such as in the areas of Environment - LIFE fund for environment and nature, Justice – European Integration Fund and European Refugee Fund, Education – ERASMUS and MARCO POLO and to the SME sector - European Progress Micro Financing Facility amongst others. I am not aware of any loan financing under these smaller funds but the Deputy might wish to raise it with the Ministers concerned to confirm the position.