Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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586. To ask the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the breakdown of funds received by her Department or channelled through her Department from EU funds in 2017; and the programmes these funds supported. [9565/19]

Katherine Zappone (Dublin South West, Independent)
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The PEACE IV Programme is an initiative of the European Union, managed in Northern Ireland by the Special EU Programmes Body, SEUPB, which is designed to support peace and reconciliation through youth work in Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland.

The Programme is run primarily by SEUPB on behalf of the European Commission in conjunction with the Accountable Departments from both jurisdictions. These are the Department of the Economy in Northern Ireland and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in Ireland.

The Children and Young People programme under Peace IV targets those young people aged between 14-24 years who are disadvantaged, excluded or marginalised, have deep social and emotional needs, and are at risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour, violence or dissident activity.

In total 85% of the Programme is provided through the European Regional Development Fund, ERDF. The remaining 15% is match-funded by the Irish Government and the NI Executive. The eligible area for the PEACE IV Programme for 2014-2020 is Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland, including Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo.

In 2017, my Department oversaw a total expenditure of €584,000 in respect of the PEACE IV Programme.