Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Many of my colleagues will be aware of the good work done by the PEACE IV programme, funding for which comes through the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. It brings €270 million into the country. Projects are 85% funded from Europe. Cavan, Monaghan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth and Sligo directly benefit. The programme funds shared educational initiatives for children and young people among other projects. It is a very important fund. For example, Cavan County Council gets in excess of €1 million for PEACE projects. Its importance is highlighted in particular in the context of the fighting and trouble in Derry over recent nights. The fund is crucial.

The European Social Fund is also crucial for employment. It has funded a number of initiatives throughout the country. I am very familiar with a number of them in Cavan and Monaghan. I call on the Leader to arrange a special debate in this House to discuss with the relevant Ministers - if necessary we could have more than one debate - how to keep the funds in place and to prevent them being reduced following Brexit. Even though we will be losing the UK from the EU the funds should be maintained at the same level. The European Social Fund, which deals with unemployment in general and the creation of employment, would be much more crucial in a post-Brexit situation. We need to protect PEACE IV, the European Social Fund and regional funding for the entire Border area. I call on the Leader to provide a debate on the issue to ensure that none of the funding is lost. I previously called on the Leader to arrange a debate to hold on to the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, in its entirety but, similarly, I want to ensure we can hold onto those programmes because Ireland needs them. Such a debate is urgently required. Now is the time to address this issue.