Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The PEACEPLUS will cover the eligible area of Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland, which are Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo. However, there will be scope under the new programme for project partners from beyond the eligible area to take part in programme activities. This is known as the "functional area concept", based on the fact that it makes sense for some projects to extend beyond the eligible area. The funding is essentially for the core area for which it is designed, which is the Border counties and all of Northern Ireland. However, in bringing forward proposals, it will be open to applicants to identify project partners that are beyond that core eligible area.

We see much potential there because, of course, the impact of PEACEPLUS and the need to build reconciliation and achieve the thematic objectives of PEACEPLUS extend beyond that clearly defined geographic area. We see significant synergies with the shared island unit and there is ongoing collaboration with that unit. As the Vice Chairman knows, it is based within the Department of the Taoiseach. This has a similar and related but, ultimately, a different focus. We will be working to a defined programme because we have significant EU funding.

As the Vice Chairman knows, we published the PEACEPLUS draft programme. The overview has been published and it lays out the overall thematic areas that we expect to see implemented over the period ahead. We have indicated the amount of money across those six thematic areas and, of course, this includes building peaceful and thriving communities, which is a key objective of the shared island unit as well. As part of that, the Irish Government is providing public resources from this Government towards long-awaited infrastructure projects in Northern Ireland and, indeed, in the Border area as well. Over €300 million of the PEACEPLUS programme is supporting a sustainable and better connected future. Of course, many of the shared island infrastructure projects are very much aligned with that. Therefore, there will be ongoing collaboration and synergies between the shared island unite and PEACEPLUS.