Written answer
Departmental Programmes
PEACEPLUS has committed its full €1.1 billion value, with 94% awarded to projects. A successor for 2028–34 is being developed; the Irish Presidency has proposed a €150 million EU special allocation, while funding negotiations and programme consultations continue.
46. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will report on the progress to date in establishing a successor programme to the PeacePlus Programme. [74523/26]
Comment on this
The €1.1 billion PEACEPLUS programme (201-2027) supports peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland in sectors such as health, education, transport, and socio-economic regeneration. It is an important European Union Cohesion Policy programme. PEACEPLUS continues the work of previous EU PEACE and INTERREG programmes which began in the 1990s. I have joint responsibility for the PEACEPLUS programme along with the Minister of Finance Northern Ireland.
The implementation of the PEACEPLUS programme is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and is progressing well. €993 million has been awarded to projects to date. This represents 94% of the programme value. Ringfenced funding for reserve projects and small grant awards brings the total commitment to 100% of the programme’s value. Small grants are awarded through the Changemakers Fund, which supports people-to-people projects that strengthen cross-community and cross-border relationships.
In March 2025, the Taoiseach and the UK Prime Minister issued a Joint Statement outlining their shared commitment to the successful delivery of the 2021-2027 PEACEPLUS programme and their agreement in principle to a successor programme. In July 2025, the European Commission included legislative provision for a successor to the PEACEPLUS programme in its draft Multi-annual Financial Framework proposals for 2028-2034.
The funding for the current PEACEPLUS programme includes €234m from the European Regional Development Fund (Interreg strand). This is comprised of €99m from Ireland’s core Interreg allocation and €135m as a special allocation specifically for PEACEPLUS, in recognition of the importance of the programme. In June of this year, following extensive work by officials from my Department, and officials from the Department of Finance and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Cyprus Presidency of the Council made provision for a special allocation for a successor to the PEACEPLUS programme as part of its MFF proposals. Recently, the Irish Presidency has proposed that a sum of €150m be assigned to the special allocation as part of it's proposals for the 2028-2034 Multi-Annual Financial Framework. That figure alongside those others proposed by the Presidency will now be for Member States to negotiate. As for the 2021-2027 programme, the EU funding for the 2028-2034 successor programme will have two components: the special allocation for the PEACEPLUS successor plus an amount from Ireland’s core Interreg allocation.
My officials continue to engage with the European Commission and the UK Government to progress negotiation of a Financing Agreement. This will set out the financial and legal arrangements for delivery of a successor to the PEACEPLUS programme.
In parallel to these negotiations, the SEUPB is responsible for developing the new programme’s content. The SEUPB has established a Programme Development Steering Group, which includes representatives from the Department of the Taoiseach and the UK Government’s Northern Ireland Office and a broad range of non-governmental stakeholders. The development process will be more broadly informed by comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation and research.