DOZENS of schemes and cross-Border projects are at risk, including many road maintenance projects in Border counties, the Fianna Fail leader said.
Mr Bertie Ahern, in private members' time, accused Fine Gael and Labour members of the European Parliament of "feeble" in their defence of the national interest when the Parliament Budget Committee decided to cut £78 million from next year's funding of the Peace and Reconciliation Fund.
The Southern Border counties were worst affected by the Troubles of the last 25 years and should get their fair share of resources to help in their economic reconstruction, he said. The Government must not rest until the committee restored its funds.
The Minister of State to the Taoiseach, Mr Donal Carey, said Ireland totally rejected the position of the budget committee and called on the European
Parliament, at its plenary session on October 24th next, to restore the amount proposed by the Council of Ministers.