Press release
Minister McGrath sees first-hand the impact of EU funding in Derry
From Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform
Published on
Last updated on
The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath, this week travelled to Derry to see first-hand the transformative impact of EU funding on the city as well as on the wider North West region.
Over the course of a 2-day visit, the Minister met with representatives and beneficiaries from a range of local projects funded by the EU’s INTERREG VA and PEACE IV cross-border programmes.
These included Derry’s new North West Transport Hub, opened in 2019 on the site of the city’s old Waterside Railway Station by the River Foyle. This €23 million INTERREG VA project has delivered a cross-border multi-modal transport hub which is improving connectivity and the use of sustainable transport options across the North West Region.
Minister McGrath also met with participants from a number of PEACE IV Building Positive Relations projects to learn more about peace building in Derry. The Minister finished his visit at the site of the new €8 million PEACE IV Waterside Shared Village project, which is creating a brand new shared community facility at the Derry interface area between Irish Street and Top of the Hill.
Minister McGrath met with the new Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Sandra Duffy, and the Council’s CEO, Mr John Kelpie; as well as peace campaigner Mr Denis Bradley.
The Minister’s visit was facilitated by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), the North South Implementation Body responsible for developing and managing cross-border EU programmes for the island of Ireland.
Speaking at the conclusion of his visit, Minister McGrath said:
"I am very glad to be here in Derry with the Special EU Programmes Body to see some of the positive impacts of the EU’s INTERREG and PEACE programmes.
"I have been struck by the wide range of interventions which these programmes are funding for the city and the wider North West region. These interventions include the very impressive new North West Transport Hub facility, which I toured this morning and which is supporting a shift to more sustainable travel across the region. I also heard directly from beneficiaries about their participation in the projects being supported by Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Peace Local Action Plan.
"I’m also delighted to finally see the famous Derry Girls mural in person.
"The value of these EU programmes on the ground has been clear to me throughout my visit. I believe that the support for shared peace and prosperity which they provide is more important now than at any time since their inception. It’s with this in mind that I look forward to the launch of the brand new €1.1 billion PEACEPLUS cross-border EU programme later in 2022. PEACEPLUS will continue the excellent work of the INTERREG and PEACE programmes both here in the North West and indeed across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland."
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 and Reform in Ireland and the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland.
The SEUPB is responsible for the implementation of 2 ongoing EU cross-border programmes for the 2014-20 programming period. The PEACE IV programme covers an eligible area of Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. It has a total value of €270 million and is now fully committed in support of 33 projects. The INTERREG VA programme covers an eligible area of Northern Ireland, the border counties of Ireland and parts of Western Scotland. It has a total value of €283 million and is also now fully committed, supporting 96 different projects.
The SEUPB is also responsible for the development and implementation of the new 2021-27 PEACEPLUS EU cross-border programme. PEACE PLUS will have a total value of c. €1.1 billion and will combine the existing PEACE and INTERREG funding strands into a single cohesive new programme covering an eligible area of Northern Ireland and the border.