INTERREG and PEACE funding
Deputy Declan Breathnach asked about promised cross-Border projects with EU support and noted Northern Ireland approval of INTERREG funding. The Taoiseach said the matter would be considered at the North-South Ministerial Council and mentioned support for the A5 and Narrow Water bridge.
As part of the programme for partnership Government dealing with Northern Ireland, North-South co-operation and EU supports, on page 142, paragraph 4e, the Government promised to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to agree and implement cross-Border projects with the benefit of EU funding through INTERREG and the PEACE programme. At the meeting of the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement yesterday evening, the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, informed us that the £120 million of INTERREG VA funding has been approved through the steering committee. He further informed us that Northern Ireland had matched this funding but stated that the projects would not receive a letter of offer until the authorities in the Republic also matched it. Bearing in mind that the steering committee last met on 27 July, can the Taoiseach inform this House when this funding will be made available from our side as it is pending for various projects around the country?
Comment on this
This is another reason we need an all-island conversation about the relationship between ourselves and Northern Ireland and this will be a matter for consideration at the North-South Ministerial Council to be held on 18 November. The Government has made available moneys for the A5 and we support the development of the Narrow Water bridge project.