Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 December 2013
263. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the design of a PEACE IV programme and the EU funding that has been agreed; if this funding will come out of Ireland's ERDF allocation or if it is separate [54059/13]
View answerPreparations for the new Structural Funds programming period have been underway over the past eighteen months. The SEUPB is currently drafting the Operational Programme for the PEACE IV Programme in close consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in Ireland and the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland. The first consultation with stakeholders across the eligible regions including the Border Region of Ireland and Northern Ireland for the PEACE IV Programme ran from 28 August until 20 November 2012. Almost 1,000 people attended these consultation events.
Once drafting of the Operational Programme has concluded a second public consultation process will be held in early 2014 and will give stakeholders an opportunity to offer their views on the draft Programme.
It is anticipated that the draft Operational Programmes for PEACE IV will be presented to the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government in 2014. Formal submission to the EU Commission will take place following the agreement of the two Governments. As a result of the efforts of the Irish Government the next round of Structural Funds will include a special allocation of €150 million for a new cross-border PEACE programme. This will be funded from the Irish and UK ERDF allocations 2014 – 2020 under the European Territorial Co-operation goal.
In addition the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has announced, in the context of the Building a Prosperous and United Community Pact, an additional €50m for PEACE IV from within the UK’s overall ERDF funding.
The final funding package for the PEACE Programme will be determined in the context of the programme planning currently underway.
