Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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69. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the new INTERREG IV programme will become operational; the funding allocated to the programme; to each measure within the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35173/15]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am pleased that the new INTERREG VA Cooperation Programme was officially adopted by the European Commission on 13 February 2015. 

The European Regional Development Fund contribution to the Programme is €240m (85%).  In addition, €43m will come from match-funding, raising the total value of the programme to €283m.  

The Programme has four key priority areas as follows:

1. Research and Innovation: €60.9m;

2. Environment: €72m;

3. Sustainable Transport: €40m;

4. Health & Social Care: €53m.

In addition, €14.42m is allocated to Technical Assistance, 6% of the total ERDF contribution to the programme.

The first Programme Monitoring Committee meeting took place at the end of July.Following that, on the 5th August 2015, the Special EU Programmes Body, the managing authority for the INTERREG VA Programme, issued the first two funding calls under the programme in the areas of Sustainable Transport and Environment.  Funding calls for all four priority areas have now been launched.Further details on the calls are available on the SEUPB Website - .

Further funding calls in relation to the Environment, Sustainable Transport and Research & Innovation themes are expected to issue in the coming months.