Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the forthcoming PEACE and INTERREG Programmes; if the proposals have been submitted to the European Commission; the expenditure to be allocated for each programme, both Exchequer and EU; when the programmes are likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37335/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Irish Government approved the PEACE IV programme and INTERREG VA  programme at its meeting on 10 September 2014.  The Northern Ireland Executive and Scottish Government (in the case of INTERREG programme only) also approved the programmes the following week.  Both Programmes and associated documents were submitted to the European Commission by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) to meet the regulatory deadline of 22 September 2014.  Ireland will continue to engage with Northern Ireland and Scotland with regard to the two programmes, particularly in the context of negotiations with the Commission on the content of the programmes.  Indications from the Commission suggest that the negotiation phase is likely to last between three and six months.  It is estimated that calls for applications under programmes, once agreed, will open in March/April 2015.

The Final budget for the PEACE IV programme will amount to €269 million (€229 million ERDF plus 15% match funding), while the INTERREG programme will total €282m (€240 ERDF plus 15% match funding).  The PEACE IV programme will focus on social inclusion and combating poverty, while INTERREG's focus is on four themes: Research & Innovation; Environment; Sustainable Transport; and Health.