Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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294. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the various EU funds available for cross-Border purposes; and the way in which they are and will be structured and managed pre Brexit and post Brexit. [36298/20]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Cross-border EU funding on the island of Ireland is currently provided via two 2014-20 cooperation programmes, PEACE IV and INTERREG VA.  These two programmes cover an eligible area of Northern Ireland, the border counties of Ireland (Counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo) and, (in the case of INTERREG VA only), western Scotland.  The PEACE IV programme has total funding of €270 million, and supports the fostering of peace and reconciliation.  INTERREG VA has total funding of €283 million, and supports economic and social cohesion.  Funding on both programmes is now fully committed to 130 projects across the eligible region.

 The PEACE IV and INTERREG VA programmes are managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), a North South Implementation Body which is jointly sponsored by my Department and the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland.

The January 2020 Withdrawal Agreement between the EU and the UK provides for the full completion of the PEACE IV and INTERREG VA programmes following Brexit.  The current implementation structures for both programmes will be maintained post-Brexit, with SEUPB continuing to manage the programmes.

In addition to these ongoing programmes, the European Commission, in its May 2018 proposals for the Multi-Annual Financial Framework (MFF) and Cohesion Policy for the 2021-27, proposed a special new PEACE PLUS programme. Provision for the PEACE PLUS programme is included in the Withdrawal Agreement, as well as in the Political Declaration. PEACE PLUS will have an eligible area of Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland and will combine the current PEACE and INTERREG strands into one new cohesive cross-border programme.  The development process for the new programme is now well advanced.  This process is being led by the SEUPB, in close cooperation with my Department and with the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland.  Similar to arrangements for the current PEACE IV and INTERREG VA programmes, the SEUPB will manage the new PEACE PLUS programme during the 2021-27 programming period.