Louth MEP calls for dedicated funding for PEACEPLUS in EU budget

Louth MEP Nina Carberry has called for dedicated funding for 'PEACEPLUS' in the next seven-year EU budget. 

PEACEPLUS is a €1.1 billion cross-border programme which aims to promote peace and reconciliation between Northern Ireland and the border counties. 

The Louth MEP acknowledged that there is already an existing €4.7 million in 'PEACEPLUS' funding for the county, which is supporting the delivery of the Louth Local Community Peace Action Plan across 15 projects.

This includes the renovation of St Nicholas’ Church of Ireland in Dundalk as a shared musical and cultural space and enhancement works at the Battle of the Boyne site near Drogheda, alongside a range of youth, sports and cultural peacebuilding initiatives across the county.

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The European Council have indicated that 'PEACEPLUS’ will likely be included in the next EU budget framework.

Ms Carberry warned that the EU cannot be "complacent" and that the consequences of Brexit "continues to create uncertainty for community groups, sports organisations and local initiatives that rely on the funding".

“But we cannot be complacent, with so many new competing priorities across the EU, we need certainty over the future of this programme. That is why last week I tabled amendments in the European Parliament aimed at ensuring that ‘PEACEPLUS’ funding is protected as part of the EU Regional Development Fund going forward,” she said.

She also called on the UK government to honour its financial commitments under the Withdrawal Agreement when the next ‘PEACEPLUS’ funding period begins in 2028. 

Ms Carberry also called on both the Irish and UK government as well as the Northern Ireland executive to ensure peacebuilding and cross-community development can continue across the region.