My Department is the measure leader for the rural development and diversification measure 1.2 of the INTERREG IIIA Ireland-Wales Programme. There is €9.8 million available to the region under this measure. As measure leader, my Department is a member of the programme steering committee which selects projects and is also responsible for the monitoring and control of the Irish element of projects in measure 1.2.
To date, there are nine approved projects under the measure with a grant value of €3.4 million. A further round of applications to the value of €2.85 million will be examined and selected in November. Spend under the measure to date is in excess of €1.3 million.