Written answers

Tuesday, 12 July 2016

Department of Social Protection

EU Funding

Photo of Pearse DohertyPearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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365. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount of pre-financing by programme his Department has applied for with regard to the current phase of EU funding programmes; the amount that is likely to be reimbursed to the European Commission; the reasons this money will be reimbursed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20585/16]

Photo of Leo VaradkarLeo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Social Protection receives funding from the European Commission through several different funding streams. These include the European Globalisation Fund (EGF), the European Social Fund (ESF), the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) and from the Commission directly. These funds each operate on different timelines and have different rules and procedures.

The aim of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) is to break the circle of poverty and deprivation. The Department is the Managing Authority for the delivery of FEAD. FEAD’s budget in Ireland is €22.8m with an additional national contribution of €4m bringing the total funding available to €26.8m. The Department received 11% pre-financing of €2.5m for the FEAD programme in December 2014.

FEAD implementation is currently underway. Expenditure to December 2016 is budgeted for €1.2m with approximately €6m per annum for 2017-2020. Expenditure under the current FEAD Programme can be incurred up to 2022. If Ireland has to return any portion of the initial €2.5m FEAD pre-financing, this will not lead to a reduction of the overall Irish Operational Programme (OP) budget of €26.8m. Ireland will be entitled to claim the entire EU contribution of €22.8m of the FEAD OP.

The EURES Ireland/Northern Ireland Cross Border Partnership receives grant funding through a competitive process under the EU Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) 2014-2020. Funding is applied for through a competitive process on an annual basis; 50% of funding is paid upfront each year and the balance amount is paid depending on the total expenditure during each funding year. Since 2013 €324,000 pre-financing has been received under this programme with no reimbursements required.

The Department of Education and Skills manages the funding for the EGF and ESF.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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