The UK Government will provide over £200 million in additional funding to the Peace Plus programme between now and 2027.
The announcement was made following a meeting of the UK-EUWithdrawal Agreement Joint Committee on Thursday.
The extra funding is on top of the existing commitment by the Government to provide £300 million to the cross-border programme.
The Peace Plus Programme is the successor to the current Peace Programme. It will carry out vital work to promote peace and reconciliation and contribute to the cross-border economic and territorial development of Northern Ireland and the border region of Ireland.
Northern Ireland Secretary, Brandon Lewis, said:
I am delighted to be able to confirm that in addition to the £300 million already committed, the UK Government will provide more than £200 million extra to Peace Plus between now and 2027.
I am confident that the Peace Plus programme will contribute to a more prosperous and stable society in Northern Ireland and the border region.
This is vital work that promotes peace and reconciliation and contributes to the economic development of the region. This is part of our continued commitment to maintaining the gains of the peace process and the Belfast Good Friday Agreement.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Michael Gove said:
The UK Government’s commitment to the stability and prosperity of Northern Ireland is absolute, and the hundreds of millions of pounds of additional funding that we are committing today will bolster the Peace Plus programme’s vital work.
Note to Editors:
The PEACE programmes have provided opportunities for participation and dialogue, and have brought decision-making and responsibility for community development closer to the people who are directly affected. It has funded a wide range of projects, including projects to support victims and survivors, young people and SMEs, infrastructure and urban regeneration projects, and projects in support of immigrants and of celebrating the ethnic diversity of society as a whole.
Some of the best-known projects supported by the PEACE programmes include the Peace Bridge over the River Foyle and the regeneration of the Girdwood Barracks in north Belfast.
The framework for PEACE PLUS is being developed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) following considerable preparatory work, research and stakeholder engagement, around the following six themes:
- Theme 1: Building Peaceful and Thriving Communities
- Theme 2: Delivering Economic Regeneration and Transformation
- Theme 3: Empowering and Investing in Young People
- Theme 4: Healthy and Inclusive Communities
- Theme 5: Supporting a Sustainable Future
- Theme 6: Building & Embedding Partnership and Collaboration
