Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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264. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport to explain the criteria for access to TEN-T European funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18321/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Regulations 2013 establish the EU funding mechanism for investment in the Trans-European Network for Transport (TEN-T). A copy of the Regulations can be accessed on the European Commission website at the following link:.

Article 7 of the Regulations sets out the eligibility criteria and conditions for financial assistance.

CEF funding will be provided by way of annual and multi-annual work programmes. The programmes will specify the priorities and the total amount of financial support for each of these priorities in a given year. The first programming year under the CEF is 2014 and calls for project proposals based on the priorities in the annual and multi-annual programmes will be launched by 1 September 2014. Full details of the Programmes are published by the European Commission on its website: .

All Ten-T projects put forward under CEF will need to demonstrate, among other things, a positive Cost Benefits Analysis and that the project has co-financing in place. The funding rate available under CEF will vary between 10% - 40% depending on the nature of the proposed project where related to works, and up to 50% where related to studies.