Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
115. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Transport the amount of funding for transport projects that has been bid for and or awarded under the Connecting Europe Fund to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42068/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is the EU's funding instrument to support projects on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) for the programming period 2021-2027. Funding under CEF is delivered in the form of grants allocated following competitive calls for proposals. Funding rates vary depending on the call for proposals and the type of project, generally ranging from 20% to 50% of eligible costs.
The budget available for transport projects over this period is expected to be €11.3 billion, as agreed as part of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) at European Council last July 2021. Additional funds are available to cohesion Member States which does not include Ireland.
Negotiations on a work programme for CEF for the 2021 – 2023 period are complete. The work programme, published 5 August 2021, sets out the indicative budgets and types of eligible projects that can apply for co-funding grants. The aim of publishing a 3-year work programme at this stage is to enhance predictability and transparency for stakeholders, enabling higher quality proposals to be submitted to the EU.
My Department consulted extensively with stakeholders throughout the negotiation process to ensure the work programme is aligned as closely as possible to Ireland’s needs and advocated for our position at CEF Committee, directly with other Member States, and on a bilateral basis with the European Commission.
Details of the drawdown of EU funding provided under the previous CEF programme to 2020 is not readily available by year. Further details on these projects, including all Irish CEF transport projects, are available on the website of the EU's Innovation and Networks Executive Agency at the following link:
ec.europa.eu/inea/sites/inea/files/cefpub/eu_investment_in_transport_in_ireland.pdf.
The results of a call in 2020 for funding proposals under the previous CEF programme were announced in July 2021. There were two applications from Ireland. One of these, Shannon-Foynes Port Company, was successful and was awarded over €2.3million in co-funding relating to a feasibility study which will provide the basis for a new deep water berth off of Foynes Island, which can accommodate larger vessels and meet project demand in the coming years.
The first call under the new CEF work programme will be launched this month and further applications from Ireland are expected at that stage. Finally, my Department continues to examine all funding opportunities and mechanisms to support the transport sector in Ireland.
