TD welcomes progress on PEACE PLUS programme
With a total value of €1 billion, the new programme will support peace and prosperity focussing on Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan/Monaghan, Brendan Smith has welcomed progress with the development of the PEACE PLUS programme.
Speaking today, The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, TD, updated Cabinet colleagues on the ongoing development of the 2021-27 PEACE PLUS cross-border EU programme.
PEACE PLUS will be a new North South cooperation programme which will combine the existing PEACE and INTERREG EU funding strands into one cohesive cross-border programme.
With a total value of €1 billion, the new programme will support peace and prosperity focussing on Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
The programme will be funded by the European Union and the UK Government, together with the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government.
Deputy Brendan Smith commented: “The total funding commitments made by the European Union, the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Executive, and the Irish Government are set to provide a total programme value of around €1 billion.
“This represents a genuinely impactful programme which will have an enduring cross-border legacy. Government Departments, North and South, have worked collaboratively together to develop the programme.”
PEACE PLUS development is being led by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), a North South Implementation Body, in close cooperation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in Ireland and the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland.
On foot of a comprehensive stakeholder consultation, together with development work with government departments North and South, SEUPB has prepared a draft programme framework which identifies key thematic areas of cross-border activity for PEACE PLUS.
SEUPB is now preparing to launch a second public consultation which will commence shortly. This consultation will allow for stakeholders across the eligible area for the new programme to make their views known.