EU funding for Irish projects will bring significant infrastructural benefits – Donohoe

10th July, 2015

Project development will act as boost to the economy and ultimately create jobs

 

Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Paschal Donohoe TD, has today (Friday) welcomed the announcement by the European Commission that a number of projects (listed below) have been recommended for co-funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

 

Welcoming the news Minister Donohoe said: ‘This is good news and a further boost for infrastructure investment in Ireland. The recommendation by the European Commission in respect of these five projects is a positive step in the development of these key infrastructural projects which will allow for future growth and development which will ultimately help with job creation.

 

“I was particularly delighted to support the port companies in their applications. Ireland’s National Ports Policy categorises the Port of Cork Company, Dublin Port Company and Shannon Foynes Port Company as Ports of National Significance (Tier 1) in recognition of the key role of they play in national economic development. This positive announcement will support significant, planned investment by the ports and follows the news that the Ringaskiddy project in the Port of Cork has recently been granted planning permission, while just today the Alexander Basin Redevelopment Project received a positive planning decision from An Bord Pleanála, allowing the largest ever infrastructure development project to be carried out at Dublin Port. In addition, Shannon Foynes Port Company’s first major project, the redevelopment of the East Jetty, is now well underway having commenced earlier this year. The continued commercial development of the port companies is a key strategic objective of the Government which will support job creation across the country as they are progressed in the years to come.”

 

The 5 projects are as follows:

  • Port of Cork, Ringaskiddy Project (Project Type: Works, Co-funding rate: 17.47%, EU Max Contribution: €12,736,001.10)
  • Shannon Foynes Port Company, Jetty Enhancement for Sea Port (Works, 20%, €2,200,000)
  • Shannon Foynes Port Company,Connecting International Sea Cargo to the Irish Rail Network (Study, 50%,€800,000)
  • Dublin Port, Alexandra Basin Redevelopment Project (Works, 10.3%, €22,782,055)
  • City Centre Re-signalling Project (Works, 30%, €17,586,760.20)

 

 

Notes for Editors:

Irish organisations applied for Connecting Europe Facility transport co-funding for seven projects and were consortium members in a further five projects put forward for EU funding.  Was the first Connecting Europe Facility-transport call for proposals, the closing date for which was March 2015. Applications made were endorsed by Minister Donohoe and five out of the seven Irish projects submitted were successful in being recommended for co-funding to a maximum amount of €56.1 million. Further smaller co-funding amounts were also recommended for Irish organisation involved in collaborative syndicates in Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR), Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) and Motorways of the Sea projects.

 

Recommended lists are available from a European Commission press release issued on 29th June. These recommendations will need to be voted on by the CEF Coordination Committee on 10th July. The individual grant agreements will then be prepared by the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) and signed with the project beneficiaries in the second half of 2015. The final co-funding amount will be contingent on these grant agreements and an agreed project and expenditure plan being implemented by project promoters with INEA oversight.

 

Ends