IMPACT OF PEACE II PROGRAMME FAR REACHING
24 November 2006
PEACE II Celebrating Success Event highlights the impact of EU funding on the lives of people across Northern Ireland and the border counties
People across Northern Ireland and the border counties gathered yesterday in Londonderry’s Millennium Forum to celebrate the contribution of the European Union’s Programme for Peace and Reconciliation towards improving social and economic wellbeing, reinforcing progress towards a peaceful and stable society and promoting reconciliation.
The event, which was hosted by the Special EU Programmes Body, highlighted the impact of the EU’s €978 million (£655m) investment over the past six years through PEACE II and highlighted twelve examples of projects funded under the Programme.
To date, there have been more than 13,000 applications to the Programme, of which 6,500 have been approved for funding. The impact of this funding has transformed the lives of thousands of people across Northern Ireland and the border counties in many ways.
A report entitled “The EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation – The Impact” was launched at the event by SEUPB Chief Executive, Pat Colgan. The report quantifies the impact of the EU’s investment and clearly demonstrates the empowering and transforming nature of the projects funded. During the period:
• Almost 5,400 small businesses have been supported resulting in the creation of almost 1,950 jobs.
• 25,000 people have participated in rural projects and 9,500 have received qualifications.
• 46,000 people have participated in projects aimed at facilitating reconciliation and peace building, social and urban regeneration and providing training for children and young people who have been particularly affected by the conflict. Of the 46,000, approximately 9,600 have gained qualifications and over 5,000 have entered or progressed within employment, education or further training.
• More than 89,000 people have participated in cross-border activities.
• Two new rural bus stations, an additional 20 buses, upgraded facilities at four railway stations and two new bypasses have been funded.
• Over 1,350 projects have been supported by the Local Strategy Partnerships and County Council Led Taskforces.
• Funding has supported 115 new and existing cross-border linkages and networks with 112 small to medium sized enterprise linkages or clusters.
Speaking at the event, Pat Colgan, Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body said: “Peace building is a long-term and multi-dimensional challenge. While political progress has been slow over the past number of years, the PEACE II Programme has made an important contribution to peace building during this period of uncertainty. The Programme has helped to sustain momentum towards peace building by facilitating a sense of engagement and ownership.
“The impact report published today confirms that the PEACE II programme is contributing towards facilitating increased engagement between the two main communities in Northern Ireland and the border region. When compared to members of the general population, Programme participants had higher levels of contact between the two communities, were more likely to have a greater number of neighbours and friends from the other community, and had a greater feeling that most members of the other community would try to be fair and helpful.
“Evidence also shows that projects are impacting on the most marginalised sections of society by developing activities for individuals and groups such as victims of the conflict, older and vulnerable people, the disabled, victims of domestic violence, ex-prisoners and the young unemployed.
“Jobs are being created, training is being offered, people are gaining new qualifications, meeting new people and growing in confidence in themselves and in each other and investment is also being made into infrastructure. These are things that will benefit each and every one of us not just now, but for generations to come.”
The EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE II) is a unique EU funding programme which covers Northern Ireland and the six border counties of Ireland. It aims to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society and to promote reconciliation by addressing the legacy of the conflict and taking opportunities arising from peace. Thanks to an extension, the Programme still has two years of implementation and will be followed by the PEACE III Programme which will operate in the years 2007-2013 and will shortly be the subject of a public consultation.