EU Funding

Wednesday, 2 April 2014

Ceisteanna (116, 117)

Pearse Doherty

Ceist:

116. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the allocations for Ireland under each of the ERDF and ESF programmes for 2014-20. [15553/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

117. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the contact person or agency for citizens seeking information for each of the ERDF and ESF 2014-20 programmes. [15554/14]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I propose to take Questions Nos. 116 and 117 together.

Last year, in the context of the agreement on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), Ireland was successful in securing €1.2 billion of Cohesion policy funding for the period 2014-2020. It should be noted that this represents an increase in 8% in real terms over the 2007-2013 programming period, at a time when the overall EU budget for Cohesion policy was cut by 8%. In particular, the Government was successful in negotiating two special allocations, €100m (2011 prices) for the BMW Region, in recognition that it is now classified by the EU as a more developed region, and €150m (2011 prices) towards a new Northern Ireland PEACE programme.

Of this €1.2 billion, some €951 million is for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) co-funded programmes in Ireland, with the balance being for European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) programmes, including the Northern Ireland PEACE Programme, the Ireland/Northern Ireland/West of Scotland INTERREG Programme, the Ireland/Wales INTERREG Programme and a number of smaller transnational programmes in which Ireland participates.

The draft ERDF operational programmes for 2014-2020 are being prepared by the Managing Authorities located in the BMW and Southern & Eastern Region Assemblies, while the ESF operational programme for 2014-2020 is being prepared by the Department of Education & Skills.

I will shortly be bringing proposals to Government concerning the allocation of funds between the ERDF and ESF programmes.