Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 103: To ask the Minister for Finance when the administrative funding will be made available to cross-Border partnerships to run the INTERREG IVA programme; when this issue will be confirmed; when the partnerships will be advised of the result in view of the fact that many of them may lose top quality personnel which will affect the running of the schemes in the future; his views on the fact that both the administrators and council staff have put enormous work and time into these projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44043/09]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 104: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide a timetable of when projects will be delivered by the joint cross-Border partnerships; if same will be approved in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44044/09]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 105: To ask the Minister for Finance if the matching funding is available for the INTERREG IVA programme; his views on whether this programme could give much needed economic and employment benefits to the Border area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44045/09]

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 106: To ask the Minister for Finance if the €60 million committed to the five cross-Border partnerships is, and will still be, available to the partnerships and will not be lost because of the delays by the authorities responsible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44046/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 106, inclusive, together.

North-South remains a high political priority for the Government. In particular, the Government is committed to realising the full potential for the development of all-island co-operation through the North South Bodies established under the Good Friday Agreement. The Government is also committed to maximising the drawdown of EU Structural Funds allocated to Ireland including the funds allocated under the INTERREG IVA Programme (Ireland-Northern Ireland-Scotland).

The INTERREG IVA Programme aims to support strategic cross-border co-operation and economic development. The Programme (2007-2013) is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

The Cross Border Local Authority Groups were established as a network of councillors from the Ireland/Northern Ireland border and offer the opportunity for a co-ordinated and strategic cross border response to local issues. The Groups, based on their experience of managing EU funding on a cross border basis in the previous round of funding, have been identified as a key implementation partner for the INTERREG IVA programme.

The Monitoring Committee which oversees the implementation of the programme met on 28th October 2009. It was reported at the meeting that 94 applications had been received by the INTERREG IVA Programme by September 2009 and 34 of these had been recommended for approval at a total value of €152.6m. It should be noted that proposed projects are subject to approved selection and assessment criteria under an agreed process and therefore individual projects must complete the process before spending can commence. The Monitoring Committee was informed that for some projects this is expected to be completed very shortly. The SEUPB also advised at the meeting that the key 2009 N+2 EU expenditure target will be achieved. The INTERREG IVA Steering Committee, on which my Department is represented, will be considering the administration costs in implementing the INTERREG IVA programme for these bodies.

My Department, as co-sponsor of the SEUPB with the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland, continues to monitor the performance of the programme and is working with its counterparts to ensure full implementation of the programme and full drawdown of the EU funds available.