Dáil debates

Wednesday, 15 December 2021

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

 

1:02 pm

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This day 28 years ago Albert Reynolds and John Major signed the Downing Street Declaration. That agreement was central to the successful negotiation of the Good Friday Agreement, which brought peace to our country. Every community on this island continues to benefit from that agreement. Following on from the Downing Street Declaration, the first peace-funded programme, PEACE I, was established in 1995. PEACE I and successive programmes have enabled much-needed economic, social, educational and community developments, especially in less-advantaged areas in Northern Ireland and the Border region. The Minister will recall my ongoing representations regarding the need to put in place as soon as possible the PEACE PLUS programme. I appreciate the Minister’s role in having the draft programme finalised with committed funding of more than €1.1 billion. We need this inclusive and ambitious programme up and operational as soon as possible to ensure the continuation of very valuable cross-Border projects led by our local authorities, other statutory agencies and community groups. Will the Minister give me an assurance that there will be no delay in having the programme finally up and running?

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