Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 July 2016
169. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to confirm that there will be no delays to projects funded through cross-Border bodies where contracts are due to be finalised within the next few months; if the result of the recent British European Union membership referendum will have any effect on the roll-out of these programmes.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21583/16]
View answerIn the wake 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. 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. Funding calls have issued for both programmes and further project calls are planned during 2016 and 2017.
Immediately following the result of the UK Referendum, my officials made contact with the European Commission and also officials of the Northern Ireland Executive to underscore our commitment to the programmes and to discuss how they would continue to benefit from ERDF funding. They have also been in touch with officials of the Scottish and Welsh Governments, which are partners in our two INTERREG Programmes.
In addition, the PEACE and INTERREG Programmes were discussed by the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive at the Plenary meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in Dublin Castle on 4 July 2016, where both administrations confirmed their continuing commitment to the Programmes. The Northern Ireland Finance Minister, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, and I considered the matter further at a bilateral meeting in Dublin on 7 July 2016, where we discussed ways of securing the ERDF funding for the Programmes, including through engagement with the European Commission.
