I welcome Mr. Niall Burgess of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. He will update the committee on the possibility of securing PEACE IV funding. Since 1994, the successive PEACE programmes, jointly funded by the European Union and the British and Irish Governments, have provided more than €1 billion for peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and in six Border counties in this jurisdiction. The flow of funding to projects under the current PEACE III programme will cease by the end of 2015. I invite Mr. Burgess to update the committee on the prospect of peace initiatives in Northern Ireland and the Border region continuing to be funded. I remind him that he is protected by absolute privilege in respect of utterances at this committee. If he is directed by the committee to cease making remarks on a particular matter and he continues to so do, he will be entitled only to qualified privilege. He is reminded that only comments or evidence in relation to the subject matter of this meeting are to be given. He is asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, he should not criticise nor make charges against a Member of either House of the Oireachtas, a person outside of the Houses or an official by name or in such a name as to make him or her identifiable. I ask Mr. Burgess to proceed.
PEACE IV Programme: Discussion with Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Mr. Niall Burgess
I am conscious of the time. I will keep my comments brief. I thought I would have to keep them very brief indeed when I saw that a vote had been called in the Dáil. I thank the joint committee for the opportunity to brief members on prospects for peace programming from 2014 onwards. I do not propose to dwell in detail on programming or overall management issues related to the PEACE programme. I am conscious that responsibility for these issues rests with our colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Finance and Personnel and the Special EU Programmes Body. None the less, before looking ahead I will say a few words about current work under PEACE III because it will affect thinking on the PEACE IV programme. I will also speak briefly on the broader context in which the Government's reconciliation objectives will be pursued.
The PEACE III programme runs until 2013. Over its lifetime the programme will disburse €333 million which consists of €225 million from the European Union and €108 million from national contributions. The overall objective of the PEACE programme is to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society and to promote reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border region. All PEACE III programmes should contribute to social and economic stability by promoting cohesion between communities. The programme allocates its funding under four priority areas. One priority aims to challenge attitudes to racism and sectarianism and support conflict resolution and mediation at local level. In this context, local councils, North and South, have developed 14 action plans approved to date to a value of €48.9 million.
Another priority aims to provide advice, counselling and support services for victims, their relatives and those who care for them. Approximately 58 projects are receiving support totalling €23.3 million. Another priority is to tackle the problems of separation of communities and address the underlying problems of sectarianism, racism and prejudice by encouraging the development of shared spaces, in particular, through infrastructure developments. To date, more than €91 million has been allocated to projects under this heading, which includes the peace bridge across the River Foyle.
A further priority is to develop the capacity of institutions to deliver services in a manner that contributes to a shared society across Northern Ireland and the Border region. Some €40 million has been allocated to this area, which is likely to include the new peace building and conflict resolution centre at Long Kesh. Overall to date €313.2 million or 94% of available funds has been allocated to 158 projects and it is expected that the remaining €20 million will be allocated by June of this year.
Notwithstanding the real achievements secured under the PEACE III programme and the more general progress made towards reconciliation in Northern Ireland and on the island, it is clear that this work will have to be sustained beyond 2013. It may be helpful to the committee to place current PEACE III activities in their broader context. Reconciliation is not solely an issue of funding and programming. The respectful and thoughtful management of commemorations, which has been the subject of considerable discussion in this committee, will also play an important role.
Sustaining current funding is also important. The Community Relations Council has estimated that more than 50% of all funding for peace and reconciliation programmes is currently accounted for by the PEACE III programme, while one third comes from the International Fund for Ireland, Atlantic Philanthropies and the reconciliation fund of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Of these sources, both the International Fund for Ireland and Atlantic Philanthropies are winding down their current activities, with the programming of the former to close by the end of December next year. It is in this context that securing continued support for reconciliation activities and the creation of a shared society is critical. I stress, however, that beyond programming, the PEACE programme, including the PEACE IV programme, carries a wider political significance as it brings with it specific recognition by the European Union that the peace process is unique and requires particular attention and recognises the international dimension to ongoing efforts. The Special EU Programmes Body is an important element in North-South structures flowing from the Good Friday Agreement.
Looking ahead, the Government is strongly committed to ensuring that programming is sustained beyond 2013 and into the budgetary period from 2014 to 2020. It must be stressed, however, that there is, as yet, no PEACE IV programme and we cannot assume in any way that the programme is a foregone conclusion. I will briefly outline what has been happening as part of the preparatory process for securing new funding. The issue of further PEACE programming has been under discussion between the British and Irish Governments for some time and has been discussed by the Taoiseach and Tánaiste in discussions with the Prime Minister and Secretary of State. It has also been the subject of discussion with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister who are both strongly supportive of renewed funding. Steps are under way to develop the strongest possible case for continued funding. The mid-term evaluation of the PEACE III programming is under way as part of an evaluation strategy agreed in 2007. The First Minister and Deputy First Minister have agreed to share the outcome of the evaluation with the two Governments. Likewise, decisions by the Executive on deployment of the new social investment fund amounting to £80 million over four years will have a bearing on how a PEACE IV programme may best be deployed. The Special EU Programmes Body will be asked to bring forward, following consultation with all relevant interests, proposals on the application of new programmes.
The multiannual financial framework negotiations ongoing under the Danish EU Presidency are still at an early stage. However, the political discussions and preparatory work under way should provide a solid basis to making the strongest possible case when the time comes.
Mr. Pat Doherty, MP, MLA
I thank Mr. Burgess for his presentation. He indicated the International Fund for Ireland and Atlantic Philanthropies are winding down their activities. I did not hear the date to which he referred. I ask him to elaborate on this issue. If a PEACE IV programme emerges, will it have a new remit?
Mr. Niall Burgess
Atlantic Philanthropies is winding down its current activities across the board. This is being done as part of a wider approach being taken.
On the International Fund for Ireland, the board of the fund signalled some time ago that it would wind down its current activities over a five-year timeframe running into 2013. Its strategy for some time now has been that all funds currently available should be disbursed by the end of 2013. It has stated it will not seek renewed funding from the United States or European Union for its activities after that time. That said, the Government has been keen to sustain some funding support to the International Fund for Ireland beyond 2013, particularly for more targeted activities in hard to reach areas. It has targeted efforts in Washington with friends of Ireland and the State Department and the board of the fund is supportive of such efforts. The type of programming envisaged would be different and on a much more modest scale than has previously been the case.
The funding environment in Congress is much more difficult than it was some years ago. The budgetary process has changed, and over the past year or two it has not been possible to secure additional funds for the International Fund for Ireland. However, the State Department has secured a modest flow of additional funding to the fund, largely through the efforts of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and some funding has been secured for 2011. While there are hopes that some additional funding could be secured for 2012 and 2013, as I indicated, this would be on a much more modest scale than was the case previously. Assuming this funding comes through, it will keep the International Fund for Ireland open as a vehicle for possible support. The additional importance of the fund is that it is also a vehicle for political support to the peace process from the friends of Ireland in Congress. Efforts are still under way to secure support for the International Fund for Ireland, IFI, beyond 2013 and this was a subject of discussion when the Tánaiste was in Washington last week.
Mr. Mark Durkan, MP, MLA
I thank Mr. Burgess for that report. Obviously, the context in which a possible PEACE IV on the reconciliation agenda takes place is one on which there is continuing progress. However, in that context many community and victims groups are finding it harder to rely on the levels of funding they can generate through fundraising or various funding applications to Departments. In that context, it becomes all the more imperative to ensure there is funding for a PEACE IV, to decide on the funding priorities for that and to persuade our European friends of those due priorities. The UK Government will have a role in that. Are we satisfied that the UK Government is not caught in a kind of political schizophrenia in this regard because of other European issues on which the UK stands apart from others? We need to ensure the strong support from the Executive for PEACE IV, as reflected on the part of the First and Deputy First Ministers, is in no way queered by any kind of mixed signals in terms of the UK agenda with regard to EU budgetary matters or anything else.
In terms of a future PEACE IV, Mr. Burgess referred to the fact that the Special EU Programmes Body would manage and have oversight of that. Compared with when it was established, that body now manages a smaller ranger of funds, but it has developed very important techniques and skills dealing with the various Departments - including the two Departments of Finance - and with many different bodies and groups. Is any thought being given to how to harness that capacity in the future or to how to use the skill sets and the infrastructure of that body, possibly by reviewing its remit so that it can also deal with non-European funds - possibly funding that might be remitted by both administrations on this island?
Mr. Niall Burgess
I will deal first with the UK Government and the budget negotiations under the multiannual framework. It is well known that the United Kingdom has particular concerns entering into these budget negotiations. However, the most important point is that there is a common sense between the British and Irish Governments and the First and Deputy First Ministers that sustaining peace funding is essential beyond 2013. The efforts in the short term are on building the case for renewed peace funding and the deployment of the social investment fund is an important part of that overall picture. The mid-term evaluation of PEACE III will be also important. As Mr. Durkan has said, the Special EU Programmes Body, SEUPB, has a wide range of skill sets and it has an important role to play also in the coming months in developing a clear sense of where further programming may be required. The approach to the budget negotiations is not an issue currently because we are at a very early stage of those negotiations. It was always the case, with the negotiation of PEACE III and PEACE II before it, that funding was secured at a late stage in the budget negotiations. The efforts currently are on making the strongest possible case.
With regard to the Special EU Programmes Body, the remit and mandate of that body is an issue that has also come up in the context of the St. Andrews review. I cannot speak with any real knowledge on the skill set within the SEUPB because the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade does not deal with it in a direct hands-on way. I would suggest to the committee that in terms of keeping an eye on this issue in the future it should perhaps have a meeting with the SEUPB and Mr. Pat Colgan. Such a meeting might bear fruit both in the context of preparations for PEACE IV and of the wider remit involved with the SEUPB.
Mr. Pat Doherty, MP, MLA
The Special EU Programmes Body has expertise. I was dealing with the body yesterday with regard to a project in Donegal and it has significant expertise with regard to dealing with the Departments of Finance, North and South, and in allowing them the space to respond, but urging them on at the same time. That should not be lost.
I thank Mr. Burgess for providing the committee with up to date information. On behalf of the committee, I express our support for the continuation of the peace programme funding post-2013 and suggest he advise the Tánaiste in that regard. As to the suggestion made with regard to meeting Mr. Pat Colgan, we met him informally in Belfast late last year, but we will take up the suggestion and follow up with a formal meeting.