Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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113. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding for transport projects that has been bid for and or awarded under the European Regional Development Fund in 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42066/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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In 2020 and to date in 2021, my Department has not been awarded funding under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) but is currently actively pursuing ERDF funding opportunities under this programme.

The European Regional Development Fund aims to strengthen economic, social and territorial cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions. In 2021-2027 it will enable investments in a smarter, greener, more connected and more social Europe that is closer to its citizens.

Overall responsibility for the European Regional Development Fund falls to the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform whereby Ireland will receive €351 million for the 2021-2027 programming period.

The ERDF planning process involves the three Regional Assemblies. In December 2020 the Regional Assemblies oversaw the production of a paper setting out high level priorities for the 2021-2027 ERDF Operational Programmes. These priorities have emerged from the Regional strategies (RSES), the Needs Analysis in relation to ERDF and the public consultation.

Three main Themes or priorities were identified:

- Smart cities, smart regions: ERDF should support innovation, digitisation, economic transformation and small and medium-sized businesses in keeping with smart specialisation strategies to support sustainable economic development and offer the population places where they can live and work.

- Low-carbon and climate resilience: ERDF should help Ireland and its regions fight against climate change and protect the environment, which will in turn improve the overall quality of life.

- Urban dimension: ERDF should support the development of Irish towns and cities through an integrated approach combining the three following dimensions: green, smart and people-focused.

Based on the three thematic areas identified the three Regional Assemblies are currently in the process of extensive engagement with government departments, including my Department, to develop proposals for the ERDF Operational Programme.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding for transport projects that has been bid for and or awarded under the PEACE+ programme in 2020 and to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42067/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The new PEACE PLUS Programme 2021-2027, which will build upon previous PEACE and INTERREG Programmes, will provide opportunities under the EU policy objective of “a more connected Europe”, contributing to the cross-border economic and territorial development of the region. In this regard, there has been significant bilateral engagement between my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, in consultation with the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform, to examine potential sustainable transport projects that fit the PEACE PLUS criteria.

Once funding arrangements are finalised, the draft PEACE PLUS co-operation programme will be brought to Government and to the Northern Ireland Executive for consideration and approval, before submission to the European Commission for its consideration. It is anticipated that the first funding awards under PEACE PLUS will be made during 2022.

The INTERREG VA Programme, a predecessor of the PeacePlus Programme, is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). The eligible area for funding includes Northern Ireland, Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth, and Western Scotland.

Match-funding is provided by both the Department of Transport in Ireland and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland to the SEUPB for three Transport-related projects under the INTERREG VA Programme. Up to 95% of Department funding is reimbursed from EU Commission via SEUPB.

The three projects funded are:

- The North West Multi-Modal Mobility Hub in Derry - This project was awarded approximately €23.5 million to develop a cross-border multi-modal hub which facilitates a shift to public transport by providing modern, integrated services such as park and ride, public cycle schemes and car share. Works were completed at the Hub in 2020 and it is fully operational;

- Development of a cross-border Greenway and cycle network - work is ongoing on the construction of the three Greenways under this project, namely:

- The Carlingford Lough Greenway, awarded almost €3.5m for the creation of over 10km of cross-border Greenway linking Newry to Carlingford;

- The North West Greenway Network, awarded €14.8m for the creation of 46.5km of cross-border Greenway; and

- The Ulster Canal Greenway which was awarded just under €5m for the creation of 22km of Greenway between Monaghan and Armagh;

- The FASTER EV Charger Project – officially launched on 9^thSeptember 2021, this project will see the installation of over 70 electric vehicle chargers in the Irish border counties, in Northern Ireland and in Western Scotland. This project has been awarded €6.4m.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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115. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the amount of funding for transport projects that has been bid for and or awarded under the Connecting Europe Fund to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42068/21]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is the EU's funding instrument to support projects on the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) for the programming period 2021-2027. Funding under CEF is delivered in the form of grants allocated following competitive calls for proposals. Funding rates vary depending on the call for proposals and the type of project, generally ranging from 20% to 50% of eligible costs.

The budget available for transport projects over this period is expected to be €11.3 billion, as agreed as part of the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) at European Council last July 2021. Additional funds are available to cohesion Member States which does not include Ireland.

Negotiations on a work programme for CEF for the 2021 – 2023 period are complete. The work programme, published 5 August 2021, sets out the indicative budgets and types of eligible projects that can apply for co-funding grants. The aim of publishing a 3-year work programme at this stage is to enhance predictability and transparency for stakeholders, enabling higher quality proposals to be submitted to the EU.

My Department consulted extensively with stakeholders throughout the negotiation process to ensure the work programme is aligned as closely as possible to Ireland’s needs and advocated for our position at CEF Committee, directly with other Member States, and on a bilateral basis with the European Commission.

Details of the drawdown of EU funding provided under the previous CEF programme to 2020 is not readily available by year. Further details on these projects, including all Irish CEF transport projects, are available on the website of the EU's Innovation and Networks Executive Agency at the following link:

ec.europa.eu/inea/sites/inea/files/cefpub/eu_investment_in_transport_in_ireland.pdf.

The results of a call in 2020 for funding proposals under the previous CEF programme were announced in July 2021. There were two applications from Ireland. One of these, Shannon-Foynes Port Company, was successful and was awarded over €2.3million in co-funding relating to a feasibility study which will provide the basis for a new deep water berth off of Foynes Island, which can accommodate larger vessels and meet project demand in the coming years.

The first call under the new CEF work programme will be launched this month and further applications from Ireland are expected at that stage. Finally, my Department continues to examine all funding opportunities and mechanisms to support the transport sector in Ireland.