Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
229. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the total funding available for the new PEACE Plus Programme; the level of funding available for each measure under this Programme; the allocations decided to date for government Departments and statutory agencies; when these allocations were decided and notified to such agencies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33684/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am very pleased that the new PEACEPLUS programme is now open for applications. Seven of the thematic investment areas for this cross-border EU programme have opened in recent weeks, with more opening over the weeks and months ahead.
PEACEPLUS has a total budget of c. €1.1 billion., over twice the combined value of the outgoing 2014-20 INTERREG VA and PEACE IV cross-border programmes. The new programme represents an unprecedented financial investment in support of shared peace and prosperity across the border counties of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The programme is jointly funded by the European Commission and the UK Government, with match funding providing by Government Departments in Northern Ireland and by Ireland.
PEACEPLUS is structured around six central themes, each of which is further divided into thematic investment areas. The agreed programme financial allocation for each of these areas is set out below.
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Theme 1: Building Peaceful and Thriving Communities (€250m) |
Theme 2: Delivering Socio-Economic Regeneration and Transformation (€170m) |
Theme 3: Empowering and Investing in Our Young People (€123m) |
Theme 4: Healthy and Inclusive Communities (€172m) |
Theme 5: Supporting a Sustainable and Better Connected Future (€303m) |
Theme 6: Building and Embedding Partnership and Collaboration (€52m) |
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1.1: Co-Designed Community Peace Action Plans (€110m) 1.2: Empowering Communities (€30m) 1.3: Building Positive Relations (€35m) 1.4: Reimaging Communities (€75m) |
2.1: SME Development and Transition (€25m) 2.2: Innovation Challenge Fund (€65m) 2.3: Programme Area Skills Development (€50m) 2.4: Smart Towns and Villages (€30m) |
3.1: Shared Learning Together Education Programme (€51.3m) 3.2: PEACEPLUS Youth Programme (€47m) 3.3: Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing (€25m) |
4.1: Collaborative Health and Social Care (€97m) 4.2: Rural Regeneration and Social Inclusion (€50m) 4.3: Victims and Survivors (€25m) |
5.1: Biodiversity, Nature Recovery and Resilience (€40m) 5.2: Marine and Coastal Management (€24.8m) 5.3: Water Quality and Catchment Management (€21m) 5.4: Water Quality Improvement Programme (€32m) 5.5: Geothermal Energy Demonstration Programme (€20m) 5.6: Enhanced Sustainable Travel Connectivity (€165m) |
6.1: Strategic Planning and Engagement (€32m) 6.2: Maintaining and Forging Relationships between Citizens (€20m) |
As calls for applications have only just opened, no funding awards have yet been made under PEACEPLUS. Funding will be awarded under each individual investment area following an independent and competitive process overseen by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), which is responsible for the delivery of PEACEPLUS. Applications will be assessed against a range of agreed criteria in accordance with EU Regulations. The final decision on funding awards will be made by a cross-sectoral project selection Steering Committee, consisting of representatives of central and local government, business, trade unions, and community and voluntary, environmental, rural, equality, youth and health sector organisations from both jurisdictions.
