Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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There is EU funding made available to my Department across three broad areas, the LEADER Programme, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), and the PEACEPLUS Programme.

The LEADER programme is co-funded by the EU. Under LEADER a total of €250 million in grant aid is available to rural communities and businesses. €70 million was allocated under the Transitional LEADER Programme which came into effect in April 2021. €180 million has been made available for delivery of the programme for the period 2023-2027. This includes a split of 59.65% funding from my Department and 40.35% funding from the EU. This funding will provide support for LEADER projects approved by the Local Action Groups (LAGs) that administer the programme and also for LAG administration costs. The funding will be utilised by the LAGs in their sub-regional areas over the coming years. The table below includes allocations by sub-regional area.

The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is the EU’s main instrument for investing in people and supporting the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights. ESF+ investments within Ireland will be delivered through the Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training (EIST) Programme.

My Department's ESF+ allocation is comprised of two strands – the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP 2024-2028), and Social Innovation Measures.

Under SICAP 2024-2028 the total approved allocation is €164 million, comprising approximately €73 million ESF+ co-financing and approximately €91 million national co-financing over the lifetime of the programme.

Under the Social Innovation strand my Department’s allocation will total €14.2 million for the period 2023-2027. This is comprised of funding of €4.4 million for the Community Services Programme and funding of €9.8 million for wider social innovation initiatives. My Department is in the process of finalising calls for applications for both the Community Services Programme and the Social Innovation Initiatives, to be issued shortly.

In relation to the PEACEPLUS Programme my Department provides pre-financing funding to the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), who manages the EU co-funded cross border PEACE programmes. My Department's funding requirement for the period 2023-2029 is estimated at €96 million, including an allocation of over €5.7 million for 2024. This funding is distributed to the project programme implementers by the SEUPB. My Department is then reimbursed with the relevant refund which is circa 80% of the allocation paid under PEACEPLUS. As this funding is pre financed by my Department and refunded by the EU following spend by programme implementers, and is not provided upfront by the EU to the Department, it is therefore fully allocated.