North/South Ministerial Council: Special European Union Programmes

– in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 12:00 am on 13 November 2001.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland 12:00, 13 November 2001

The fifth meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in the special European Union programmes sector was held in Dublin on 30 October 2001. Mr Dermot Nesbitt and I attended the meeting. This report has been approved by Mr Nesbitt and is also made on his behalf. Mr Charlie McCreevy TD, Minister for Finance, represented the Irish Government.

The chief executive of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) gave an oral report to the Council on progress made since the last meeting in this sector on 20 June. The report covered a range of topics, including the development of the body’s managing authority role, the body’s central co-ordination role for EU funding, the creation of effective relationships between the delivery mechanisms for Peace II, and the role of the SEUPB in relation to the common chapter of the Northern Ireland structural funds plan and the national development plan for Ireland.

The Council underlined, as it had done at previous meetings, the importance of the role of the body, and the EU programmes under its remit in contributing to the development of peace and reconciliation and the maximising of social and economic benefits on the island, particularly in the border areas. The Council welcomed the progress made on several important issues since the last meeting but also noted that a significant number of key issues remained to be addressed in the coming months.

The first paper tabled at the meeting provided an overview of the progress on spend and on the closure of the current Peace I and INTERREG II programmes. Under EU regulations, all funding for both programmes must be fully expended by 31 December 2001. The Council noted that overall expenditure currently stood at 93% for Peace I and 94% for INTERREG II. The Council noted that the final expenditure for Peace I was expected to reach 99% in the North and 98% in the South. For INTERREG II, the position was expected to be 98% in the North and 99% in the South. The Council welcomed the progress made on ensuring a high proportion of expenditure under both programmes.

The Council also noted the significant recent progress in implementing the Peace II programme. The Special EU Programmes Body had completed contract negotiations with all the intermediary funding bodies, and their appointment had been formally announced on 11 October. Work on establishing the 26 local strategy partnerships was also progressing well, and an application web site and database is now available. The Council commended that work and underlined the important role that the new Peace II programme could play in promoting peace and reconciliation and securing the economic and social opportunities available in a new climate of peace and stability.

The Council received a report on progress on negotiations on the INTERREG III programme involving the two Finance Departments, the Special EU Programmes Body, and the European Commission. The Council was advised that those had led to revisions of the draft programme in order to take account of issues raised by the Commission and to clarify the role to be played by the three border corridor groups in implementing the programme. The Council welcomed the developments but urged a speedy conclusion to the negotiations, with a view to ensuring early implementation of the programme. The Council also recorded that it expected to hear of significant progress on the programme at its next meeting in sectoral format.

The Council also received a report on the progress of the other community initiatives — EQUAL, LEADER+ and URBAN II. EQUAL and LEADER+ have issued calls for projects in Northern Ireland. The initial programme proposals for URBAN II in Northern Ireland had been welcomed by the Commission, and, following consultation, a revised operational programme was submitted to the Commission on 13 September. Given the number and range of structural funds programmes involved, the Council attached details of the projects and their values to the joint communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.

The next item considered by the Council was a report from a working group established to review progress on implementing the common chapter. That chapter of agreed text, relating to North and South, has been included in the Northern Ireland structural funds plan and in the national development plan for Ireland. It sets out a strategic framework for mutually beneficial North/South — and wider — co-operation in a range of sectors and activities.

The report from the working group highlighted the roles identified for several organisations in implementing the common chapter, including the North/South Ministerial Council itself, the Special EU Programmes Body and Government Departments, North and South. The Council approved the recommendations in the report for better co-ordination, measurement and monitoring of the benefits of North/South and wider co-operation. Those included a recommendation that a joint steering group be established, chaired by the two Finance Departments and including the Special EU Programmes Body and representatives from the central Departments, North and South. That group would oversee and co-ordinate work on implementing the common chapter in both parts of the island.

The Council also approved a recommendation that a joint common chapter working group be established with representatives from the Northern Ireland community support framework (CSF) monitoring committee and the Irish community support framework/national development plan (CSF/NDP) monitoring committee to oversee implementation of the common chapter in the context of the European structural funds. That recommendation has already been agreed by the Northern Ireland CSF monitoring committee, but remains to be considered by the Irish CSF/NDP monitoring committee.

The Council received a report from the body on progress towards implementing its corporate plan. It noted the progress made and urged the body to continue to focus on achieving the aims and objectives specified in its plan. The Council also agreed that the body should prepare an updated and revised corporate business plan for approval at the next meeting of the North/South Ministerial Council in the special EU programmes sectoral format.

When I announced a proposed increase in the body’s budget allocation to the Assembly on 2 July as part of the Executive’s decisions in the June monitoring round, I pointed out that it would be subject to North/South Ministerial Council approval. At the meeting on 30 October, the Council approved that increase in the 2001 budget for the body, which is needed to enable it to meet its in-year commitments. The increased funding requirements arose from costs associated with the provision of office accommodation for the body in Belfast, Omagh and Monaghan. Additional costs had also been incurred in connection with the body’s recruitment and secondment of staff.

The Council noted with satisfaction the progress on the recruitment of staff to the body. The Council also considered and approved a senior staffing structure for the body, which will now move to recruit permanent staff to fill its senior posts. The management team will work with the chief executive to ensure that the body fulfils the important role envisaged for it under the establishing legislation.

It was agreed that the Council should meet again in this sectoral format in Northern Ireland in January or February 2002. The venue for the meeting will be confirmed in due course. The Council agreed the text of a joint communiqué, which was issued following the meeting. A copy of the communiqué has been placed in the Assembly Library.

Photo of Esmond Birnie Esmond Birnie UUP

What is the Minister’s assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of staffing in the body? There is a perception that there is slippage arising from various administrative and bureaucratic bottlenecks.

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

As I said, progress on staffing arrangements was reviewed. The body is new and has to establish itself and bring together a variety of tasks within a novel structure. The programmes are also new, and there are many issues of communication, expectation and interpretation. We welcomed the progress that had been made on the recruitment that had already been undertaken, and we reviewed proposals to develop the senior staffing structure of the body. We hope that those steps will resolve the difficulties to which Dr Birnie referred.

Photo of Mrs Annie Courtney Mrs Annie Courtney Social Democratic and Labour Party

Can the Minister update the House on the local strategy partnerships under Peace II?

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

The local strategy partnerships will, in many ways, succeed the district partnerships that worked so successfully for Peace I. They will concentrate on the two main measures in priority 3. However, they will also, by virtue of the new composition for the local strategy partnerships, have the task of ensuring that those models will be sustainable beyond the life of this Peace programme. We are trying to use the local strategy partnerships to develop the partnership models and encourage them into the mainstream, so that they are not confined to European programmes, especially as that European money will be removed.

We want the local strategy partnerships to be truly inclusive and broadly based. The basis on which we have proposed the establishment of the local strategy partnerships allows for the four pillars of social partnership to be involved. It allows local government and central Government, because of its statutory role, to be properly involved and engaged in, and influenced by, what develops there. All of that depends on local agreement. In most districts, agreement and progress have been made, but, in other areas, there is work still outstanding. However, there must be local agreement, and we will encourage that.

Photo of Séan Neeson Séan Neeson Alliance 10:45, 13 November 2001

I thank the Minister for his upbeat and encouraging statement. I particularly welcome the projected uptake of funds for Peace I and INTERREG II. I do not wish to put the Minister on the spot, but it would be helpful if, early in the new year, the Assembly were given a report on the geographical spread of allocations, particularly under INTERREG II. When does the Minister expect the joint steering group on the common chapter to be established?

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

The joint steering group will be established forthwith. It will be the mechanism within Government for trying to maximise the commitment to — and the good operation of — the common chapter. It is envisaged that there will also be a joint working group involving the community support framework monitoring committee in the North and the community support framework/national development plan monitoring committee in the South.

As Mr Neeson is aware, the Northern community support framework monitoring committee has already agreed in principle to join that joint working group, but the Southern monitoring committee has yet to agree. We have tried not to rely on only one mechanism within Government, chaired by the two Finance Departments, or on the mechanism of the joint working group of the monitoring committees. We want to have both mechanisms, because that is how the programmes are managed and monitored in their respective jurisdictions. A dual approach is also required for the common chapter.

Photo of Jim Wilson Jim Wilson UUP

What arrangements are in place — or are likely to be put in place in coming days — to make the information contained in that comprehensive report understandable. I have previously used the word "gobbledegook" in the House, and, looking back, I think that it was slightly unfair to do so. However, I will try it again. Every day, I am asked by constituents about how and where they can gain access to funding. They know that the funding is here, there and everywhere, but gaining access to those funds — and understandable information on them — is difficult. I hope that the Minister will pardon me for using the word "gobbledegook" again, but we must remove the jargon from such statements. What is the Minister doing to ensure that the valuable citizens who are doing voluntary work can get access to the information and understand it?

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

There are several initiatives under way. Members may be aware that the Special EU Programmes Body recently held a roadshow in several locations. The roadshow sets out, in an open and understandable way, the measures that are available, what they entail and what their main focus will be. That is one way in which they have helped.

The body also has a Freefone helpline that can give advice to applicants. I said that there was a web site providing information and able to assist with applications, which can be made in electronic format. We are trying to make sure that more information is available and understandable, and the body will try to ensure that information is available to a wide range of interests. The body will look to the local strategy partnerships to assist, so that local groups will be able to approach them for advice and assistance on issues beyond the priority 3 measure that falls to the local strategy partnerships.

The intermediary funding bodies have been appointed; that announcement has been made. Some calls for projects have already been issued, and more will follow. As the calls for projects issue, each intermediary funding body will make further information available about the scope and emphasis of particular measures. The same will follow for the Government Departments as well, as they start to issue their calls for projects.

Photo of Patricia Lewsley Patricia Lewsley Social Democratic and Labour Party

What arrangements has the Minister put in place under Peace II to ensure that funds for community and voluntary sector projects will be protected? Such projects are vital to the process of peace building.

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

Following their effective contribution to Peace I, the contribution that the community and voluntary sectors can make to Peace II relates to several areas of the programme. Again, intermediary funding bodies will play an important role in ensuring the good use and good distribution of the funds. The bodies have already proven themselves to be a good means of working with the community and voluntary sectors at regional and local level.

The local strategy partnerships will also be able to respond locally to initiatives from the community and voluntary sectors in each district. Government Departments responsible for managing measures are being encouraged to work closely with the community and voluntary sectors. The Executive have already decided to monitor the work of Departments in the programme, with an eye to creating good working partnerships and promoting equality in applications and cross-border co-operation between Departments.

Photo of Joe Byrne Joe Byrne Social Democratic and Labour Party

I thank the Minister for his comprehensive statement and congratulate him and his colleague, Mr Nesbitt.

Can the Minister clarify the role of the cross-border development groups in the delivery of INTERREG III? Does he agree that those groups are important, not only as a delivery mechanism, but as a means of widening the partnership that is at the centre of our approach?

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

First, I want to express appreciation of the Member’s kind compliments.

The cross-border corridor groups have played a significant role, and that has been recognised by Ministers, North and South. We know that some of the border corridor groups have been working for a long time and are not a novelty trip. They have seen what has worked in their own operations and where the gaps have been.

Mr McCreevy and I agreed last year to establish an action team to ensure that the proposals being drawn up for INTERREG III would make best use of the potential of the border corridor groups. We need to make sure that the groups playing that role are not composed only of councillors. We want them to broaden their work and be vehicles for the sort of partnership that we want to see. The groups will be reconfigured into INTERREG III partnerships. They will be implementation bodies for a significant part of the INTERREG III programme. That delivers on the commitment that Mr McCreevy and I made when we met, individually and collectively, the border corridor groups.

Photo of Gerry McHugh Gerry McHugh Sinn Féin

Go raibh maith agat, A LeasCheann Comhairle. Public access to funding is the key to the success of the Peace programmes. Local councils have insufficient staff in the local strategy partnerships, and that could pose a difficulty for partnerships at local level. Reasonable accountability and feedback are necessary for local councils. The last time around, councils suffered from lack of feedback from the partnerships. Has the Minister considered that, as it could be a bigger issue this time?

(Mr Deputy Speaker [Mr McClelland] in the Chair)

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland

The involvement of councils and partnerships has received much attention, and there are various views about what happened in the past and about the best way to handle the matter in the future. In the past, councillors were represented on, or were members of, the district partnerships, but that was often an incidental thing. It was the councillors who ran the partnerships, rather than being corporately involved. The work of the partnerships should influence the corporate plans and activities of the council and make sure that councils’ distinctive spheres of responsibility were complementary to and consistent with the partnerships’ endeavours.

That is one reason why we have moved to local strategy partnerships. Councils and statutory agencies will account for 50%, which will be agreed locally between them. The social partners, also by local agreement between them, will make up the other 50%. The aim is not only that councils and statutory agencies will bring their knowledge and interests into the partnerships, but that those bodies will be informed and influenced by the strategic thinking of the partnerships. It is important not only to maximise the benefits of the two priority 3 measures that the local strategy partnerships will manage, but to develop models of partnership for wider, longer-term use.

Photo of Mr Eamonn ONeill Mr Eamonn ONeill Social Democratic and Labour Party

The work of the body and the quality of the report have impressed me, among others. I am especially interested in Peace II and am glad to note the progress that has been made.

What sort of system is in place, and when will people be able to apply for funding?

Photo of Mark Durkan Mark Durkan Leader of the Social Democratic & Labour Party, Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland 11:00, 13 November 2001

The programme for rolling out access to Peace II is under way in many respects. As I said, the intermediary funding bodies have already been announced, and some have already begun to call for projects. Some Government Departments have also called for projects, and others will follow. We look forward to Peace II applications being made in the coming months.

Gap funding arrangements will be extended for three months — from October until the end of next January — because we believe that applications for Peace II funds will take off then. There will be different timetables for different measures, because the programme involves different Departments and intermediary funding bodies, and different structural and management issues. However, broadly speaking, most of the measures should open for application in the next quarter.