Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) is a temporary instrument that is the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU - the EU’s plan to emerge stronger and more resilient from the coronavirus pandemic and build a greener, more digital and more resilient future. This instrument is outside of the multiannual financial framework.

Through the Facility, the Commission raises funds by borrowing on the capital markets (issuing bonds on behalf of the EU). Member States guarantee a share of the borrowing. Funds are then available to Member States, to implement ambitious reforms and investments that are within their National Recovery and Resilience Plans.

The REPowerEU plans are also implemented through the RRF. REPowerEU is the Commission’s response to the socio-economic hardships and global energy market disruption caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Overall Ireland will receive €914m under the RRF with a further €240m under the REPowerEU chapter. Ireland has developed a National Recovery and Resilience Plan and REPowerEU Programme to draw down these allocations. Projects are funded via the estimate processes. The RRF receipts from the EU will be lodged to the Exchequer. The RRF is a performance based instrument with payment contingent on the achievement of milestones and targets. There are five payment instalments.

Ireland’s first payment request was formally submitted on 7 September 2023. There are 40 milestones and targets with a value of €324m in this request. The payment request is undergoing detailed assessment by the Commission and other Member States through the Economic Policy (EPC) and the Economic and Financial (EFC) committees of ECOFIN. Once approved the payment of €324m will be lodged directly by the Commission to the Exchequer, this is expected by year end.

In relation to funds encompassed by the Multi-Annual Financial Framework, my Department has responsibility for a number of Cohesion Funds and the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR). This includes policy responsibility and coordination of all Ireland’s cohesion funds, Member State and Certifying Authority functions for the ERDF, Member State functions for PEACEPLUS and other EU-funded Cross border Programmes in Ireland and Northern Ireland and Member State functions for a number of European Territorial Cooperation programmes. Ireland, as the Member State most affected, received the biggest allocation of BAR funding. This support allows Ireland to allocate funding to projects to mitigate Brexit impacts, in a wide range of sectors, including fisheries, agriculture, enterprise, customs and others.