SEUPB JC 7 November 2007
North/South Ministerial Council
Special EU Programmes Sectoral Format
Dublin,7 November 2007
Joint Communiqué
1. The first NSMC Special EU Programmes Sectoral meeting since the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly was held in Government Buildings, Dublin on Wednesday, 7 November 2007.
2. The Irish Government was represented by Brian Cowen, TD., Tánaiste and Minister for Finance. The Tánaiste chaired the meeting. The Northern Ireland delegation comprised Peter Robinson MP MLA, Minister of Finance and Personnel and Margaret Ritchie MLA, Minister for Social Development.
Report from the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB)
3. The Chief Executive of the SEUPB, Mr Pat Colgan reported on developments since the Council last met in this sector on 9 October 2002 including the successful closure of the PEACE I Programme and the achievement of annual expenditure targets by the PEACE II and INTERREG IIIA Programmes.
EU Programmes
4. Ministers welcomed the adoption yesterday by the European Commission of the Peace III and the Northern Ireland/Ireland/Scotland Cross Border Co-operation Programme (INTERREG IVA). Including matching funding from the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, a total of €589m will be made available through these programmes for investment to help build a peaceful stable society in Northern Ireland and the creation of a more prosperous cross border region. Ministers requested the SEUPB to make arrangements to launch the two programmes as soon as possible.
Special EU Programmes Sectoral Format
Dublin,7 November 2007
Joint Communiqué
1. The first NSMC Special EU Programmes Sectoral meeting since the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive and Assembly was held in Government Buildings, Dublin on Wednesday, 7 November 2007.
2. The Irish Government was represented by Brian Cowen, TD., Tánaiste and Minister for Finance. The Tánaiste chaired the meeting. The Northern Ireland delegation comprised Peter Robinson MP MLA, Minister of Finance and Personnel and Margaret Ritchie MLA, Minister for Social Development.
Report from the Special European Union Programmes Body (SEUPB)
3. The Chief Executive of the SEUPB, Mr Pat Colgan reported on developments since the Council last met in this sector on 9 October 2002 including the successful closure of the PEACE I Programme and the achievement of annual expenditure targets by the PEACE II and INTERREG IIIA Programmes.
EU Programmes
4. Ministers welcomed the adoption yesterday by the European Commission of the Peace III and the Northern Ireland/Ireland/Scotland Cross Border Co-operation Programme (INTERREG IVA). Including matching funding from the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, a total of €589m will be made available through these programmes for investment to help build a peaceful stable society in Northern Ireland and the creation of a more prosperous cross border region. Ministers requested the SEUPB to make arrangements to launch the two programmes as soon as possible.
PEACE III Programme
5. The Council welcomed the focus of the new PEACE Programme on (i) Reconciling Communities and (ii) contributing to a Shared Society. Ministers noted that the PEACE III Programme has a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocation of €225 million and will be funded under the EU’s Territorial Co-operation Objective. Including match funding from the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, the PEACE III Programme will be worth almost €333 million.
5. The Council welcomed the focus of the new PEACE Programme on (i) Reconciling Communities and (ii) contributing to a Shared Society. Ministers noted that the PEACE III Programme has a European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) allocation of €225 million and will be funded under the EU’s Territorial Co-operation Objective. Including match funding from the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, the PEACE III Programme will be worth almost €333 million.
INTERREG IVA (Northern Ireland/Ireland/Scotland) Programme
6. The Council welcomed the focus of the new cross border INTERREG IVA Programme on (i) Co-operation for a more prosperous border region (ii) Co-operation for a sustainable border region. Ministers also welcomed the inclusion of Western Scotland in the Northern Ireland/Ireland cross border programme and look forward to working with Scottish colleagues in this programme. Including match funding from the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, the new Programme will have a total budget of €256 million compared with INTERREG IIIA’s budget of €183 million.
Ministers noted that the UK has allocated €139 million of its share of Cross Border European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) to the Northern Ireland/Ireland/Scotland Programme and that Ireland has allocated €53million.
SEUPB Future Plans
7. The Council approved the SEUPB Corporate Plan 2008 to 2010 and Business Plan for 2008 subject to budgetary considerations by the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government
SEUPB Review of Staffing Needs
8. The Council agreed the staffing increases recommended by an independent review of the Special EU Programmes Body and noted the estimated costs and efficiency savings if these recommendations are implemented.
Annual Report and Accounts
9. The Council discussed the Special European Programmes Body Annual Report and Accounts for 2006 and noted that the Body will lay the plans before the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Oireachtas in the near future.
10. The Council agreed to meet again in the Special EU Programmes Sectoral format in April 2008.
Joint Secretariat
November 2007
6. The Council welcomed the focus of the new cross border INTERREG IVA Programme on (i) Co-operation for a more prosperous border region (ii) Co-operation for a sustainable border region. Ministers also welcomed the inclusion of Western Scotland in the Northern Ireland/Ireland cross border programme and look forward to working with Scottish colleagues in this programme. Including match funding from the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive, the new Programme will have a total budget of €256 million compared with INTERREG IIIA’s budget of €183 million.
Ministers noted that the UK has allocated €139 million of its share of Cross Border European Regional Development Funding (ERDF) to the Northern Ireland/Ireland/Scotland Programme and that Ireland has allocated €53million.
SEUPB Future Plans
7. The Council approved the SEUPB Corporate Plan 2008 to 2010 and Business Plan for 2008 subject to budgetary considerations by the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government
SEUPB Review of Staffing Needs
8. The Council agreed the staffing increases recommended by an independent review of the Special EU Programmes Body and noted the estimated costs and efficiency savings if these recommendations are implemented.
Annual Report and Accounts
9. The Council discussed the Special European Programmes Body Annual Report and Accounts for 2006 and noted that the Body will lay the plans before the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Oireachtas in the near future.
10. The Council agreed to meet again in the Special EU Programmes Sectoral format in April 2008.
Joint Secretariat
November 2007