Written answers
Tuesday, 19 July 2016
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
EU Funding
Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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332. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if Ireland has drawn down any funding under the European Commission’s LIFE programme from 2014 to 2015; if so, the projects which have drawn down money; and if there will be any other calls for proposals under the said programme for 2016. [22086/16]
Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The EU LIFE Programme is a dedicated EU funding instrument for the environment, with the aim of contributing to the implementation, updating and development of EU environmental policy and legislation. The Programme is administered directly by the European Commission with funding allocated to projects on merit in accordance with established criteria and following a rigorous assessment process.
In the period 2014 to 2015 four Irish projects, to the value of some €17m, secured funding totalling €9.8m under the Programme. Details of these projects are set out in the table below.
| Project Title | Description | Total Budget | Life Funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raptor Life | Connecting and restoring habitats for Hen Harrier, Merlin, Atlantic Salmon and Brook Lamprey in Duhallow. | €3,075,846 | €1,537,923 |
| Life Kerry | Sustainable land use management for the conservation of the freshwater pearl mussel. | €5,010,581 | €2,439,924 |
| Wiser Life | Reducing and reusing waste, diverting it from landfill, creating green jobs, reducing resource consumption, and improving access to innovative ecological education systems. | €3,622,245 | €1,802,407 |
| Life Irish Raised Bogs | Restoring active raised bog in Ireland’s SAC network 2016-2020. | €5,408,249 | €4,056,186 |
The 2016 call for co-funding under the LIFE Programme was launched on 19 May 2016 with various closing dates in September 2016 depending on the project topic being selected. In its role as National Contact Point for the Life Programme, my Department has responsibility to promote the Programme and to disseminate information as widely as possible.
Comprehensive information on the Programme, including details of the current call, is available on my Department’s website at: and on the European Commission’s website at: .
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