Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 November 2012
310. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if analysis of the Peace Programme have been carried out; if such analysis will inform the introduction of the successor programme to the Peace III Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49411/12]
View answerThe Special EU Programmes Body, a North South Body established under the Good Friday Agreement, is responsible for the management and implementation of the PEACE III and Interreg IVA cross-border EU co-funded Programmes.
The SEUPB has recently commissioned a mid-term evaluation of the PEACE III Programme (2007-2013). Work on this study will commence in late November 2012. The mid-term evaluation will review the programme performance to date to establish the progress which the Programme is making toward achieving the objectives as set out in the PEACE III Operational Programme. The study will also draw conclusions on the programme’s efficiency, effectiveness and impact and make recommendations for the direction and structure of any potential PEACE IV Programme, taking into consideration the Europe 2020 objectives.
My Department, and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland, have asked the SEUPB to begin the process of preparing programme proposals for the 2014-2020 round of EU programmes. We have asked the SEUPB to conduct this work on the assumption that there would be a successor programme for both PEACE and Interreg.
I would stress that discussions on new EU programmes and funding are ongoing in Brussels in the context of the negotiation of the Multiannual Financial Framework and that final decisions have not yet been made. The Irish Government remains committed to a new PEACE Programme, however.
The programme preparation process has begun and SEUPB has organised consultation events across the eligible region. There is additional opportunity to provide feedback to the SEUPB by 20 November 2012. Under the guidance of a programme development steering committee representing government departments, local representatives and social partners, the SEUPB will draft programme proposals and a further consultation period will then commence.
The SEUPB will also be carrying out an ex-ante evaluation study for a PEACE IV (2014-2020) Programme. This study, which is a regulatory requirement, will be carried out in parallel with the drafting of the new PEACE IV programme. This evaluation will ensure that the Operational Programme clearly articulates the intervention logic and the contribution of the programme to the Europe 2020 strategy.
