Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-15-Speech-3-299"
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"en.20041215.11.3-299"2
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"Mr President, I wish first of all to welcome the proposal by the rapporteur, Mr Papadimoulis, to extend the action programme in the field of civil protection.
Coming from a country which has benefited in the past from EU funding in order to cope with natural disasters, I fully appreciate the importance of the programme. Indeed, as a former minister in my own government, I visited Brussels in 1995 seeking assistance to alleviate the effects of substantial flooding throughout the length and breadth of Ireland. I succeeded in obtaining considerable financial assistance.
I note the increase in the budget from the action programme in the field of civil protection for 2005 and 2006 but, like other speakers who have contributed to this debate, when I examine the increase I note that it is a mere EUR 0.9 million for each of the years 2005 and 2006. I read the report in some detail and the justification for the increase is 'EU enlargement'. When one considers the fact that we are increasing the size of our Community and welcoming the accession of 10 new Member States to our Community, in real terms the so-called increase is actually a decrease; that is without factoring in inflation.
I would like to see an emergency fund – I know you mentioned the Solidarity Fund – for civil disasters, where direct aid would be given to the regions of the new accession states, in the same way as Ireland was helped in the past. These states have freed themselves from the iron grip of Moscow. They all qualify for Objective 1 status; their economies are still largely embryonic. Just as Ireland found itself in civil disasters, these new countries will inevitably find themselves in situations where natural disasters will occur. I fundamentally believe that we should set aside each year a substantial fund to assist such countries by way of direct relief aid.
I commend the rapporteur for his systematic approach and recommendations. He went through each area in detail. Prevention, where possible, is desirable; preparedness is vital; protection, emergency measures and recovery are all essential. I believe the scheme that he has prepared is excellent, but it is totally underfunded. We cannot foresee earthquakes, floods or forest fires – they are natural disasters.
In conclusion
I am not speaking Swahili, it is my own native tongue, Irish, which unfortunately is the only official language not included in the Community.
A happy Christmas and a happy New Year to each and every one of you."@en1
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"Higgins (PPE-DE )."1
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