Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 161: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the work that has taken place on proposals under the new INTERREG programme for north/south and east/west co-operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32142/07]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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ERDF-funded INTERREG programmes are intended to address the economic and social disadvantage that can result from the existence of a border, either land or maritime. During the period 2007-2013 these programmes will take place under the EU's European Territorial Cooperation Objective 3; and that also during this period Ireland will participate in all of the three strands of the Objective 3 programmes, cross-border, transnational, and interregional. These programmes will address issues in all parts of the EU.

Ireland will participate in two cross-border programmes, the Ireland/Northern Ireland/Western Scotland Programme, and the Ireland/Wales Programme. The programme of most relevance to Ireland in terms of scale and expenditure will be the Ireland/Northern Ireland/Western Scotland Programme. This Programme is designed to support strategic cross-border cooperation for a more prosperous region and will improve access to services to enhance the quality of life. This Programme will have EU funding of €192 million.

The Ireland/Wales Programme, which is primarily a maritime cross-border programme, will be aimed achieving a sustainable development by a progressive integration of local economic, social and environmental development. The Programme will have EU funding of €52.7 million.

Ireland will also participate in three transnational programmes. These are the Atlantic Area Programme which will include Ireland, UK, part of west France, northern Spain and Portugal. The programme will have EU funding of €104 million.

The North West Europe Programme will include Ireland, the UK, northern France, Benelux countries, part of Germany and part of Switzerland. The programme will have EU funding of €335 million. For the period 2007-2013 Ireland will for the first time also participate in the Northern Periphery Programme which will include the south and west coast of Ireland, Northern Ireland, part of Scotland, parts of Sweden and Finland and the non-Member States of Greenland, Iceland and Faroe Islands. This programme will have EU funding of €35 million.

Finally, Ireland will participate in the interregional Programme which covers all 27 EU Member States as well as Norway and Switzerland. The programme will have EU funding of €321 million.