Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 January 2018
35. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has held discussions with the European Commission in relation to the possible allocation of additional funding for the Border region in view of the particular challenges that will arise in that area following Brexit and the need to improve infrastructure to assist existing businesses remain competitive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2128/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will agree, EU funding has made an enormous contribution to the development of the border region and to cross-border cooperation over the last quarter of a century. The current PEACE and INTERREG programmes, for which I have Ministerial responsibility, have a combined value of more than half a billion Euro over the period 2014-2020.
It is for that reason that I have been clear about the Government’s commitment not only to the successful implementation of the current PEACE and INTERREG programmes but also to successor programmes post-2020.
As part of my Department's contingency planning for Brexit, the risks to these programmes – which are 85% funded by the EU – were identified. In the immediate aftermath of the UK referendum, therefore, my objective was to ensure that current funding would continue.
For that reason I proposed to my then Northern Ireland counterpart, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, that we jointly write to the Regional Policy Commissioner, Corina Cretu, to underline the importance we attach to the continuation of EU funding. Subsequently Minister Ó Muilleoir and I visited Derry together to see the difference that EU funding is making there.
Last April I raised the impact of Brexit on the two programmes at a meeting of the General Affairs Council devoted to Cohesion Policy in Luxembourg. While in Luxembourg I also took the opportunity to have a bilateral meeting with Commissioner Cretu where I impressed upon her the enormous contribution that EU funding has made to the economic and social development of the region, as well as the vital importance of continuing this funding. I also invited Commissioner Cretu to visit the region to see for herself the impact of the programmes on the ground.
In addition, my Department has maintained close contact with the Commission at official level with a view to ensuring that the current programmes continue and that there is support for future programmes.
I was pleased, therefore, that last month’s progress report on the Brexit negotiations that was agreed between the EU and the UK reflected the Irish Government’s ambitions for the programmes. Specifically, both parties undertook to honour their commitments to both PEACE and INTERREG under the current MFF and to examine favourably the possibilities for future support.
My officials and I will continue to work with the Commission and the UK to ensure that the current programmes are completed and that successor programmes are put in place.
