Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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93. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress to date in the roll-out of the PEACEPLUS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55959/25]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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As the Minister knows, the PEACEPLUS programme is a successor programme to INTERREG and the various PEACE programmes. As we have discussed often in this House, they have been particularly important in bringing new facilities and amenities to and stimulating economic development in areas like my own along the Border, which suffered so much due to the Troubles over a protracted period of time. The PEACE programme goes back to the mid-1990s and I am glad that the Irish and British Governments, the European Union and the Northern Ireland Executive put together a major funding programme of €1.14 billion. I know the projects that have been approved for funding are very good projects that will add considerably to communities both near and far.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I thank Deputy Smith for the question and for his leadership and advocacy. The Deputy is right. The projects, facilities and amenities in his area in particular are bringing huge, profound and important change. I thank the Deputy for being cochair of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly.

The PEACEPLUS programme, which runs until 2029, has a total value of €1.1 billion and funds projects across Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland. PEACEPLUS is cofunded by the Irish Government, the European Commission, the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. The project is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

Our Department, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, is committed to providing 26% cofunding for eight of the 22 investment areas. This represents a total of €96 million in financing over the lifetime of the programme, with a net contribution, post recoupment of ERDF amounts, of €19.2 million. Grants are awarded by the Special EU Programmes Body following an agreed assessment process. As of 24 September, 108 projects with a total value of €947 million have been approved for funding, representing around 88% of the programme value.

PEACEPLUS provides funding across a diverse range of investment areas, including revitalisation of rural areas and community development. This funding will benefit people right across the programme area and there are multiple opportunities to benefit from the programme, which are available to all groups and organisations. All information is available online, as Members know.

I would also like to make a point about the change-maker funding element of PEACEPLUS, which will provide grants of between €10,000 and €100,000 to cross-Border or community projects. This funding programme is currently open. Information is available on the PEACEPLUS website under current funding opportunities.

Like the Minister, Deputy Calleary, I welcome the announcement regarding the Cavan regional sports project, which, as the Deputy said earlier, will provide a great facility to Cavan and the wider cross-Border region. Both the Minister, Deputy Calleary and I, look forward to travelling to Deputy Smith in Cavan. We might get to that match yet; you never know.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister. As I said here earlier, I appreciate the support of the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, in different meetings with me, and also the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, who has spoken about the importance of shared spaces and providing sport and recreation facilities. I appreciate the positive response of the Special EU Programmes Body to the Cavan regional sports campus application, with the €15 million approval this morning. It is great to work on a project and see a good conclusion to it.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South-Central, Fine Gael)
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I will make reference to the issue of the Cavan regional sports campus and give credit to Deputy Smith on that. This is about the reimagining of communities and investment in areas. It is a project that will bring, as the Deputy said, profound transformation to the area. It is a shared space. It represents a new type of modern Ireland and this facility, when it is developed, will be absolutely fantastic. What we are seeing here with PEACEPLUS is investment matched by human investment. It is all good for the people and the Border counties. I welcome our Department's involvement and both the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are very committed to the project. We look forward to working with all Members of the House.