My recent follow-up reply to your PQ No. 124 of 2 February 2017 provided details of the recipients of INTERREG funding within our education system. There are no other instances where it was necessary to have a partnership between an institution here and in Northern Ireland in order to receive EU funding under this Department.
In reply to another recent PQ you submitted (ref: 5015/17) I informed you that no EU funds have been provided to my Department for the purposes of cross-border education projects. The reply goes on to say that my Department supports cross-border co-operation and exchange projects which are managed by parties external to the Department. Applicants for funding must adhere to the following eligibility criteria:
- Clear and meaningful cross border collaboration
- Cross-community and interdenominational participation
- Social inclusion attributes
- Adding value to the education systems of both jurisdiction
- Pedagogical value of collaborative activity proposed
There is no requirement for applicants to engage in a partnership to acquire funding under my Departments cross-border education initiative.