I propose to take Questions Nos. 372, 373, 375 and 376 together.
Following the outcome of the UK Referendum on EU membership, the Irish Government has been clear that it remains committed to the successful implementation of the EU funded PEACE and INTERREG programmes. The programmes are not only an important source of funding, but provide a visible demonstration of the European Union's continuing support for the process of peace building and reconciliation. They have seen investment of more than €3 billion in Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland over the last quarter of a century and have made a vital contribution to promoting greater economic and social cohesion. Together they will see investment of more than half a billion euro in Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland over the period 2014-2020, with 85% of that being contributed by the European Regional Development Fund.
Immediately following the referendum result , and in line with my Department's contingency arrangements, my officials made contact with the European Commission to underscore our commitment to the programmes and to discuss how they would continue to benefit from ERDF funding. They have also spoken to colleagues in the Scottish and Welsh Governments, which are partners in our two INTERREG Programmes. The issue was discussed with the Commission and with a range of stakeholders at an INTERREG Programme Monitoring Committee meeting in Glasgow last Wednesday (29 June 2016) and at the Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin on Monday (4 July 2016), and I will be meeting Northern Ireland Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir at the SEUPB Sectoral meeting of the NSMC tomorrow (7 July 2016), when we will be able to consider the matter in detail.