Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) has overall policy responsibility for the European Structural and Investment Funds. In addition,  DPER has administrative responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The information in relation to the ERDF which was requested by the Deputy is set out below.

In relation to the other funds listed in the Deputy’s query, the Department of Education and Skills has administrative responsibility for the European Social Fund. The Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine has administrative responsibility for the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The Connecting Europe Facility is managed by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. The aspects of the PQ which are relevant to each of these funds have been transferred to the relevant departments for direct reply.

In relation to the Research and Innovation Framework Programme, this is a matter for the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation, and the Deputy’s query has been referred to them for written reply in early course.

Ireland has not been eligible for funding under the Cohesion Fund since 2003, as we are now categorised as a more developed region on the basis of our GDP. 

In relation to ERDF, Ireland has been allocated €410,775,098 support for the programming period 2014-2020. Details of the indicative annual allocation are set out in the following table.

It should be noted that this amount is matched with an equal amount of Exchequer funding, bringing the total support available for the period to €821,550,196.

In relation to expenditure, each Member State is required to submit an annual report to the Commission on implementation of the programme in the previous financial year. The most recent report available is that provided to the Commission in June 2017, which relates to expenditure to end December 2016.  The total amount includes the matching Exchequer funding.