Brussels, 12/01/2001 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has decided to back six transport and environmental programmes in Ireland, under the Cohesion Fund. 401 million euro in Community financing, spread over several years, will help achieve these projects, for which the total cost is 752 million euro. They are: - the waste water treatment scheme in the region of Dublin (133 million euro); - main drainage scheme for the cities of Limerick (76 million) and Cork (45 million); - Heuston Terminal and South West Rail Corridor Development (49 million euro); - construction of two stretches of motorway: Cloghran-Lissenhall (63 million) and Lissenhall-Balbriggan (35 million euro).
The Cohesion Fund is intended to finance the transport and environmental projects of the less wealthy countries of the EU (Spain, Greece, Portugal and Ireland). In all, Ireland will benefit from 557 million euro between 2000 and 2003, date at which its eligibility will be reviewed, as, according to all the forecasts, this country should by then have exceeded all the criteria for eligibility.