EC has been bankrolling NI since 1980s

A confidential briefing on developments within the European Economic Community over January to June 1983 points out how the community recognised the “special economic and social problems of Northern Ireland.”

It points out that on June 21 the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU adopted a Regulation to provide assistance for urban renewal in Northern Ireland.

Jacques Delors and company enabled assistance of 100m European Currency Units (£56m) - an internal EC accounting unit and precursor to the Euro - to be granted to public infrastrucre projects contributing to urban renewal in Belfast over the three years 1983 to 1985.

The document explains: “Support will cover a maximum of 70 per cent of costs, and eligible projects include leisure and recreation facilities, roads and transport schemes, and environmental improvements.

“The support is additiional to the volume of expenditure, which would otherwise be allocated for urban renewal.”