EU cash for local joint ventures with Ireland (From Western Telegraph)

EU cash for local joint ventures with Ireland

An exciting £40 million West Wales/Eastern Ireland joint programme was recently launched in Dublin by First Minister Rhodri Morgan and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to encourage organisations from both regions to work together.

It is hoped that through Interreg IIIA the regions sustainable development will be given a boost economically, socially and environmentally. This is a six-year partnership programme and follows on from Interreg II which ended in 1999.

An Interreg development officer has recently been appointed for West Wales. Rhian Llewelyn will be available to answer queries about the programme and will be based at the West Wales European Centre at Trinity College, Carmarthen.

A wide range of organisations are invited to apply, including local authorities, public bodies, universities, colleges and research institutions, private enterprises and voluntary bodies. A grant of up to 75% of the total eligible cost is generally available for successful projects. It is hoped that a diverse range of projects will be developed over the next six years.

Themes include culture, heritage and tourism, Welsh language initiatives, marine and coastal development, environmental sustainability, communications and IT education and training, business and enterprise development and equal opportunities. There will be an emphasis on working together, and all projects must be submitted jointly with at least one Irish and one Welsh partner. If you have an idea, but do not have a partner, the Interreg team will do its best to find you one.

Councillor Tom Richards, of Pembrokeshire County Council, said: Many Pembrokeshire organisations benefited from the last Interreg programme. We hope that many more organisations will come forward to obtain funding from this new Interreg.