Ireland
Programmes summaries :
Border, Midland and Western Regional Programme
1. "Border, Midland and Western (BMW) Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013" -Programme under the "Regional Competitiveness and Employment" objective co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
2. Overview
The European Commission approved on 16 October 2007 a regional development programme for the Border, Midland and Western Region of Ireland for the period 2007-2013 entitled the "BMW Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013". This programme involves Community support for the BMW Region within the framework of the "Regional Competitiveness and Employment" objective. The total budget is EUR 571,897,096 and the Community investment through the ERDF amounts to EUR 228,758,838. This represents over 30% of Structural Funds allocations to Ireland under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective. The BMW Region has a "phasing-in" status, which means a frontloading of community assistance in the early years of the 2007-2013 period.
3. The purpose and aim of the EU investment
Facilitate innovation, ensure sustainable development, improve accessibility and develop the urban fabric within the region, in order to enhance overall productivity and competitiveness.
The Border, Midland and Western Regional Operational Programme 2000-2006 has invested over €2.81 bn to the end of 2006 during the previous programming period. Investments have primarily been undertaken in local infrastructure projects, local enterprise development, agriculture and rural development and the provision of childcare facilities within the region. The new programme aims to build upon this success and will address new challenges in the BMW region: it will seek to support entrepreneurship, innovation and knowledge, to develop world-class infrastructure and to support a sustainable environment.
4. The expected impact of the investment
The programme is expected to create an additional 4,000 jobs in assisted companies, to support 2,500 micro enterprises and to provide management support and mentoring to more than 35,000 people in micro enterprises. In addition, broadband will be provided to over 8,000 businesses in the BMW Region.
5. Priorities
The programme will be implemented through three main priorities plus a Technical Assistance priority:
Priority 1: Innovation, Information and Communication Technologies( ICT) and Knowledge Economy
Raise the research and innovation capacity and enhance the usage of ICT infrastructure in the Border, Midland and Western Region to support collaboration and technology transfer between higher education institutes and the business sector to promote entrepreneurship and competitiveness of enterprises.
Priority 2: Environment and Risk Prevention
Promote the sustainable development of rural areas and the protection and enhancement of the rural environment through innovative technologies. The priority will also stimulate energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment and the integration of sustainable energy practices into public policies.
Priority 3: Urban Development and Secondary Transport Networks
Strengthen the spatial structuring of the BMW Region by investing in integrated sustainable initiatives in order to enhance the competitiveness, accessibility and social cohesion of the region's urban growth centres end enhance their potential as drivers of economic growth.
Priority 4: Technical Assistance
Support for programme management and implementation, including technical support, communications and publicity, financial control activities, research and evaluation actions.
6. Managing Authority: Border, Midland and Western Regional Assembly
Director: Mr Gerry Finn
The Square, Ballaghaderreen
IE- Co. Roscommon
Tel: +353.94.9862970
Fax: +353.94.9862973
E-mail: GFinn@bmwassembly.ie
Web: http://www.bmwassembly.ie
Southern and Eastern Programme
1. "Southern and Eastern Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013" - Programme under the "Regional Competitiveness and Employment" objective co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
2. Overview
The European Commission approved on 16 October 2007 a regional development programme for the Southern and Eastern Region of Ireland for the period 2007-2013 entitled the "Southern and Eastern Regional Operational Programme 2007-2013". This programme involves Community support for the Southern and Eastern Region of Ireland within the framework of the "Regional Competitiveness and Employment" objective. The total budget is € 367 million and the Community investment through the ERDF amounts to €146.6 million. This represents almost 20% of Structural Funds allocations to Ireland under the Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective.
3. The purpose and aim of the EU investment
The overall objective of the operational programme is to contribute to increasing the productivity and competitiveness of the Region, to support sustainable development and to help improve quality of life through investment in the development of innovation and the knowledge economy, supporting the protection of the environment, sustainable development and the take-up of broadband and supporting city regeneration and town renewal.
- The Southern and Eastern Regional Operational Programme 2000-2006 has allocated over 4.1 billion € in funding to the region up to 31 December 2006. Investments have primarily been undertaken in local infrastructure projects, local enterprise development, agriculture and the provision of childcare facilities. The new programme 2007-2013 aims to build upon this success and will address new challenges in the Southern and Eastern Region.
4. Expected impact
The programme is expected to lead to the creation of 7,700 jobs in micro-enterprises. It aims inter alia to provide management support and mentoring to 84,000 people in micro-enterprises, to provide 560 research posts in the Higher Education Institutes and to support 4,000 micro-enterprises directly. 150 additional posts will also be provided in Incubation Centres. The programme will introduce six energy schemes and broadband will be provided to over 23,000 businesses in the Southern and Eastern Region.
5. Priorities
The programme will be implemented through three main priorities plus a Technical Assistance priority:
Priority 1: Innovation and the Knowledge Economy
Lisbon Agenda objectives: develop further the knowledge, R&D, innovation and entrepreneurial base of the Region's economy and to support collaboration and technology transfer between research institutions and the business sector in order to boost the Region's growth and competitiveness.
Priority 2: Environment and Accessibility
Invest in renewable energy production and energy conservation and to increase broadband take-up throughout the region in order to contribute to the competitiveness of the Region.
Priority 3: Sustainable Urban Development
Enhance the attractiveness of the designated Gateways and Hubs as drivers of regional economic growth. A central aim will be to support and complement efforts to ensure that the cities and towns maximise their potential in increasing their contribution to dynamic entrepreneurship, innovation and in reducing social disparities.
Priority axis 4: Technical Assistance
Support for programme management and implementation, including technical support, communications and publicity, financial control activities, research and evaluation actions.
6. Managing Authority: Southern and Eastern Regional Assembly
Mr Stephen Blair
Director
Assembly House
O'Connell Street
Waterford
IE- Co. Waterford
Tel: +353.51.860700
Fax: +353.51.879887
E-mail: SBlair@seregassembly.ie
Web: http://www.seregassembly.ie