Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 18 January 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement
PEACEPLUS Programme: Special EU Programmes Body
Mr. Mark Huddleston:
In recognition of what has been said about smaller groups and groups most in need finding it the hardest to access the programme, we are trying to signpost these groups towards our larger potential lead partners, as we call them in the programme. We ran a series of roadshows and found that the smaller groups were openly discussing these challenges. That gave us an opportunity, particularly if it related to skills and the old INTERREG-type activity related to prosperity, to link them in with the colleges in Northern Ireland or with the education and training boards, ETBs, in the Republic of Ireland. We drew them together through that, which started to give them an opportunity to engage and they certainly have found their voice through that activity.