Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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19. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the priorities that will attach to Ireland’s next round of Structural Funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16785/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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In the context of the agreement on the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), the Irish Government was successful in securing €1.2billion of Cohesion policy funding for the period 2014-2020.   It should be noted that this represents an increase of 8% in real terms over the 2007-2013 programming period, at a time when the overall EU budget for Cohesion policy was cut by 8%.  In particular, the Government was successful in negotiating two special allocations, €100m (2011 prices) for the Border, Midland and Western (BMW) Region, in recognition that it is now classified by the EU as a more developed region, and €150m (2011 prices) towards a new Northern Ireland PEACE programme.

Of this €1.2 billion, some €951 million is for European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) co-funded programmes in Ireland, with the balance being devoted to European Territorial Cooperation (ETC) programmes, including the Northern Ireland PEACE Programme, the Ireland/Northern Ireland/West of Scotland INTERREG Programme, the Ireland/Wales INTERREG Programme and a number of smaller transnational programmes in which Ireland participates.

The funding priorities identified for Ireland's Structural Funds programmes take account of the Europe 2020 Strategy of Smart, Inclusive and Sustainable Growth and the National Reform Programme.  They include promoting jobs and growth; combating unemployment and social exclusion; promoting R&D and ICT investment and the competitiveness of the business sector; and promoting an environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient economy.  These priorities have also been informed by the EU regulations governing the funds and by needs analyses, consultation processes and ex-ante evaluations.  

The ERDF and ESF funding will be delivered through by operational programmes.  The draft ERDF operational programmes for 2014-2020 are being prepared by the Managing Authorities located in the BMW and Southern & Eastern Regional Assemblies, while the ESF operational programme for 2014-2020 is being prepared by the Department of Education & Skills.