Brendan Howlin
Ceist:6. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to secure EU funding for cross-Border projects, as outlined in the Taoiseach's speech to the IIEA. [12047/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 13 April 2017
Ceisteanna (6)
Freagraí scríofa
As I have previously indicated to the House, this Government remains firmly committed to the successful implementation of the PEACE and INTERREG Programmes and to successor programmes post-2020.
Ireland currently takes part in three EU-funded cross-border programmes with the UK: the PEACE Programme, the Ireland/Northern Ireland/Scotland INTERREG Programme and the Ireland/Wales INTERREG Programme. The programmes have a combined value of €650 million over the period 2014-2020.
The Government is justifiably proud of its role in securing EU funding for a fourth PEACE programme, and I acknowledge the Deputy's role in securing that funding.
The programmes have made an enormous contribution to cross-border cooperation and remain important drivers of development in a cross-border context. More than that, the programmes have been a key element of the EU's continuing commitment to the process of peace building and reconciliation and support for the Good Friday Agreement.
As part of the contingency planning undertaken prior to the UK referendum, my Department identified the potential risks to these programmes. As soon as the referendum result was known the process of working through the issues facing the programmes commenced so as to ensure that beneficiaries could continue to receive funding, regardless of Brexit.
I am pleased that on 28 October 2016 I was able to announce that agreement had been reached on a safeguard clause that will Brexit-proof letters of offer to programme beneficiaries.
In the short-term my objective was to secure the programmes and give programme beneficiaries the confidence they need to proceed with projects. That has been achieved.
In the medium term my objective is to see these programmes successfully implemented out to 2020, through a period during which the UK is likely to leave the EU. The safeguard clause should ensure that this can happen.
My long term objective is to see successor programmes beyond 2020.
PEACE and INTERREG are well regarded in Ireland North and South in the UK and throughout the EU, so I believe the necessary goodwill is there for successor programmes.
Moreover, the regulatory framework for programmes with Third Countries already exists. My officials have commenced work on examining such programmes to see how they might form a model for cross-border programmes post-2020.
Questions Nos. 7 to 9, inclusive, answered orally.