From Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth
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The Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Roderic O’Gorman has welcomed the launch of the first Calls for Applications under the new PEACEPLUS Programme, which includes significantly expanded dedicated funding to support investment in opportunities and services for young people.
Combined financial commitments from the EU, the UK and Ireland provide for a total funding allocation for PEACEPLUS of around €1.1 billion – more than twice the value of the previous INTERREG and PEACE programmes combined, and an unprecedented investment in the history of EU cross-border programmes on the island of Ireland.
The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will contribute match-funding to support two new investment areas under Theme 3 of the new programme: Empowering and Investing in Our Young People. A total of €47 million is being made available under Investment Area 3.2 PEACEPLUS Youth Programme to fund cross-border and cross-community Youth projects across a number of key areas including good relations, personal development, citizenship and employability, and will bring about an increase in the capacity, confidence and achievement level of every young person participating. Youth projects funded under a similar PEACE IV programme included a range of activities including outdoor learning, thematic workshops, one to one mentoring, residential trips, and life skills courses.
In addition, €25 million has been committed to Investment Area 3.3 Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing to support innovative youth sector projects to promote young people’s mental well-being and develop capacity within the sector. Similar projects funded under previous PEACE programmes included community based health promotion and emotional resilience programmes, peer mentoring programmes, collaborative art projects and play-based initiatives.
The Calls for Application have been published by the SEUPB.
Welcoming the launch Minster O’Gorman commented:
"I am delighted to see that after an extensive development process led by the Special EU Programmes Body, the first Calls for Applications under the ambitious new PEACE PLUS Programme are now open. Building upon the achievements of its predecessor Programmes and with a significant increase in financial investment, PEACE PLUS holds tremendous promise for the island of Ireland.
"I particularly want to highlight the expanded opportunities for young people and youth organisations included in the new programme. I know that many Irish youth organisations and other groups and services working with young people have already been active in making preparations in collaboration with cross-border partners. Some of these were involved in youth projects under the current PEACE IV programme and have experienced first-hand how enriching that programme has been not only for young people but also for those organisations and the wider community.
“My department looks forward to engaging with our Northern and EU Colleagues, community organisations and stakeholders, to harness the full potential of the new PEACE PLUS Programme.”
Calls for application under the following Youth Investment areas are now open:
PEACEPLUS is a new EU Cohesion Policy cross-border cooperation programme. This €1.145 billion programme combines the previous PEACE and INTERREG cross-border EU funding strands into one cohesive new North-South programme for the 2021-27 period. PEACEPLUS covers an eligible area of Northern Ireland and Counties Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo (although there is scope for activity to extend beyond that area).
Development and management of EU North South programmes is the responsibility of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), a North South Implementation Body established under the Good Friday Agreement. The SEUPB is headquartered in Belfast, with smaller offices in Omagh and Monaghan, and is jointly sponsored by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in Ireland and the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland.
Further information on the PEACE PLUS programme is at: PEACEPLUS Programme / SEUPB